RTRS:China says still seeking agreement in Russia gas talks
BEIJING, June 16 (Reuters) - China and Russia are still seeking an agreement in natural gas supply talks, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, while President Hu Jintao visits Russia and the two sides strive to conclude a large-scale deal.
"Energy cooperation is an important constitutive part of relations between China and Russia," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in answer to a question about the negotiations.
"We are seeking consensus on the relevant issues through friendly consultations," Hong told a regular news conference in Beijing.
The two neighbours are still far apart on price after five years of talks on Russian gas deliveries to China, and Chinese President Hu Jintao is due to meet Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday at Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly at the heart of the negotiations. (Reporting by Michael Martina and Sabrina Mao; Editing by Chris Lewis)
