Georgian Energy Minister Nika Gilauri confirmed on December 13 that Turkey is ready to give 800 million cubic meters of its gas share from the Shah-Deniz field to Georgia in 2007.

But Gilauri also said that this is not the total amount of gas Georgia hopes to receive next year from the Azerbaijani's Shah-Deniz feild.

“Besides part of Turkey’s share, there is also Georgia’s share, which we will receive, and other reserves as well, but I would not like to comment in detail as talks are underway on the expert level and the exact amount of gas [Georgia will receive next year], as well as the price, will become known in a week, maximum in ten days,” Gilauri told reporters.

The Georgian delegation, led by the chief of the state-run Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (GOGC), Alexander Khetaguri, will launch talks over the issue in Baku on December 14.

Azerbaijani news agencies recently reported that Turkey was ready to give 1,3 billion cubic meters of gas to Azerbaijan and 800 million cubic meters to Georgia from its originally defined share of 2,8 billion cubic meters of Shah-Deniz gas.

According to Energy Minister Gilauri’s comments, this portion of the share – 800 million cubic meters – does not include those 250 million cubic meters allotted to Georgia in the original contract.

In this case Georgia will receive a total of at least 1,05 billion cubic meters of gas from Shah-Deniz next year.

Georgia’s gas consumption will reach up to 1,9 billion cubic meters in 2006.