Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said on Tuesday the creation of a gas cartel along the lines of OPEC remains an option.

While hosting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on an official visit here, Medvedev said there are various proposals to discuss the creation of an organization similar to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for gas.

"Decisions have not yet been taken but it would be wrong to consider this matter closed," he said, to cheers from the Venezuelan delegation.

While the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), an informal organization of the world's leading gas exporters, groups a dozen countries that are rich in natural gas, including Iran, Russia, Qatar, Venezuela and Algeria, it has no official statute, charter or fixed membership structure.

Gas-consuming countries fear the creation of a gas organization along the lines of Opec would allow exporting countries to agree to fix prices or at least to influence them.

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