MOSCOW, March 13 (RIA Novosti) – Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and top officials from state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) held talks on Wednesday, the Russian energy giant said, as part of an effort to finally conclude by the end of 2013 a long-delayed 30-year deal for Russian gas deliveries to China.
 
"The sides discussed a wide range of issues about the countries' cooperation in the gas sphere," Gazprom said in a statement. "Special attention was paid to the key commercial and technical parameters of pipeline gas supplies to China, in particular from the Sila Sibiri gas pipeline."

Gazprom said in February it aimed to sign the relevant contract with China by the end of this year. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich previously said basic agreements on the contract could be reached by late March.

Talks over what would be a massive energy deal between Russia and energy-hungry China have been underway since the two sides signed a framework agreement in 2009, but have faltered over failure to agree on price.

Under the deal, Gazprom, which is seeking to increase supplies to Asia as it faces problems in the European market, would deliver up to 68 billion cubic meters of gas to China annually for 30 years. But the price for the gas has been a major stumbling block, preventing the two sides striking a final deal.

Wednesday's talks, attended by Gazprom Deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev, also focused on potential LNG supplies from Gazprom's future gas liquefaction plant in Russia's Far East. China was represented by CNPC Chairman Jiang Jiemin and General Manager Zhou Jiping.