Stroytransgaz’ VP Bokhanovsky Russia’s candidate for GECF secretary general
Interfax, 10.11.2009
MOSCOW. Nov 10 (Interfax) – Stroytransgaz Vice President Leonid Bokhanovsky is Russia's candidate for Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told journalists.
"Leonid Vitalyevich Bokhanovsky is currently in Doha to attend the GECF executive committee. He is our candidate," he said.
According to the organization's charter, the GECF secretary general should be at least 45 years old, have 15 years experience in the gas industry and fluency in English.
Apart from Bokhanovsky, other nominated possible candidates included Gazprom's Deputy CEO and Gazprom Export's General Director Alexander Medvedev, Gazprom Export's Deputy General Director Sergei Yemelyanov, and Gazprom's head of the foreign trade department Stanislav Tsygankov, a source in the industry told the Gas News Agency. Yemelyanov and Tsygankov rejected their nominations.
Founded in 2001, this gas cartel equivalent to the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) includes Iran, Algeria, Brunei, Bolivia, Indonesia, Libya, Malaysia, Russia, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and Equatorial Guinea. Norway and Kazakhstan participate as observers, that is, by charter, they do not have a voting right. Russia, Qatar and Iran account for 53.2% of global gas resources.
During 2008-2009 the Forum began reforming its structure. In particular, it adopted a charter and determined its goals and objectives. The GECF members are due to hold their next meeting in Doha, Qatar, on December 9, 2009, to elect the Forum's secretary general.
