MOSCOW — Russia's energy minister Viktor Khristenko and Norway's petroleum and energy minister Thorhild Widvey considered today development prospects for the Barents Sea shelf and participation of Norwegian companies in the development of the Shtokman field, as well as joint operation on the European market.

The Russian ministry's public relations department has reported that the parties expressed interest in joint development of Russian and Norwegian fields on the Barents Sea shelf. The parties agreed that development of Russian-Norwegian cooperation in the sphere was being hampered by problems in delimitation of the Barents Sea shelf. Once the issue is settled, this would minimize political risks involved in joint projects, the Russian minister pointed out. He also raised the issue of cooperation on the European market, for Russia and Norway, being European and world leaders in oil and gas exports, had common interests in Europe. Khristenko also stressed the importance of transport projects in bilateral relations.