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Gazprom Agrees to Three-Month Extension of Serbia Gas Supplies, Minister Says

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Russia has agreed to extend its natural gas supply agreement with Serbia by three months beyond its Jun. 30 expiry, Serbian news agency Tanjug reported on Thursday, citing Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic.

Speaking to reporters in St Petersburg, Djedovic Handanovic said Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller had agreed to continue gas deliveries under the current arrangement for an additional three months.

The minister said the two sides also discussed plans to expand Serbia's underground gas storage capacity from 450 million cubic meters to 750 million cubic meters.

Serbia's oil company NIS also prompted discussion as it has been under US sanctions due to its majority Russian ownership. "A very important topic for us is also NIS and the problems we have been facing for 18 months now," Djedovic Handanovic said.

Djedovic Handanovic said the sanctions were not a consequence of any actions taken by Serbia and that Serbian citizens should not bear the impact of the measures.

"A sustainable solution that has to be acceptable to the US administration must be found," she said.

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