No payment problem for Turkey, gas price cut on the way: Russia

"Turkey pays for the gas on time and completely. We don't see the same problems with Turkey which we experience with Ukraine," the spokesman of Russian gas company Gazprom, Sergei Kuprianov said when asked why only the Ukraine was facing an embargo while countries like Turkey and Transdnestr also failed to pay heir debts, the news agency reported.

A dispute currently exist between Russia and Ukraine over gas exports due to Ukraine’s unpaid debts, the news agency reported adding that the gas flow would be cut as of 2009 unless a new deal is signed.

"We cannot give the exact figures. We can announce them only under extra circumstances," Kuprianov said adding that rates are calculated according to a pre-determined formula, although the figure will be quite significant, when asked the level of the expected cuts.

Turkey relies almost exclusively on imported energy and is Gazprom's second largest client after Germany.