No OPEC-style gas cartel in the making - Russian Khristenko

Russia's industry and energy minister said ahead of Monday's forum of natural gas exporting countries in the Qatari capital that the assembly was not contemplating establishing a gas cartel modeled on OPEC.

"It is clear that no cartel agreement on gas pricing will be signed in Doha," Viktor Khristenko said.

He explained that the idea, suggested in January by Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, did not make practical sense as almost all gas supplied to global markets these days is sold on the basis of long-term contracts.

Khristenko and the chief of Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, Alexei Miller, will meet in Doha with officials from countries such as Algiers, Bolivia, Venezuela, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates, whose combined gas reserves account for 70% of the world's total.

The participants are expected to discuss ways of improving cooperation between their countries in the gas industry and of fostering dialogue between producers and consumers, as well as between governments and the business community.