The Turkmen government signed contracts on 11 July with the Ukrainian state gas firm Naftohaz Ukrayina for the sale of 36 billion cubic meters of Turkmen natural gas and with the Russian firm Itera for the sale of up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas in 2004. Both purchasers agreed to the price of $44 per 1,000 cubic meters – the same price agreed to in the 25-year gas deal with Gazprom that was signed in April. The Ukrainian and Itera sales will bring total Turkmen natural-gas sales to more than $2 billion. However, as is usual in Turkmen gas deals, half the amounts of the latest deals will be paid in hard currency and half in goods and services. Niyazov also suggested that he and the heads of state of Russia and Ukraine should get together at the September CIS summit to discuss the construction of a new gas pipeline along the shore of the Caspian Sea to carry enough gas to meet existing and future contracts. Niyazov added that the purchasers of Turkmen gas, Gazprom and Naftohaz, should determine the route and financing of the new pipeline. (RIA-Novosti)