Russia to maintain Gazprom export monopoly-PM Putin

MOSCOW, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Russia will maintain gas giant Gazprom's (GAZP.MM) export monopoly in the medium term but will seek to liberalise the domestic gas market, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"In the near future we will try to liberalise the domestic market..., will try to liberalise access to pipelines. But the monopoly for sales on external market will be maintained...in the medium term for sure," Putin said. (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski and Toni Vorobyova; editing by Maria Kiselyova)