Iran's OPEC Governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi said in Tehran Saturday the newly-found Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) will soon form an executive committee, the semi- official Fars news agency reported.

"The high level committee of the forum has also issued its articles of association which was initially proposed by Iran," said Khatibi.

Founded in Tehran in 2001, the now 15-member GECF groups Russia, Iran, Qatar and other leading gas producers, which account for some 77 percent of the world's gas reserves and 48 percent of production.

The member states of GECF group include Algeria, Bolivia, Brunei, Venezuela, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Qatar, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago.

The forum's role was strengthened this year as Russia, the world's largest gas producer, intensified its efforts to tap energy globally and revealed its increasing interest on the potential price-control structure similar to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) while denying it will be a gas cartel.

In October last year, representatives from Russia, Iran and Qatar, which in total account for 56 percent of world's natural gas reserves, met in Tehran and agreed to establish a "gas troika" for joint exploration and production, raising the curtain over the loose group's further development.

As stipulated in the charter, an executive office and a Doha- based secretariat of the organization will be established, with a secretary general to be elected during the next forum.

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2009)