ASHGABAT (AFP) - Turkmenistan will resume by early January gas supplies to Russia that were halted in April, the deputy chief executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom said Tuesday. "We are planning to begin supplies from January 1, 2010 but no later than January 10," Alexander Medvedev said following talks with Turkmen officials Tuesday.

"For the first time in the history of Russian-Turkmen relations gas supplies will be determined on the basis of a price formula, which is in full agreement with the conditions of the European gas market."

Gazprom's Medvedev was accompanying Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on a visit to the Turkmen capital Ashgabat aimed at ending a months long gas dispute between the ex-Soviet states.