DUSHANBE, June 11, 2009, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan’s natural-gas supplies to Tajikistan could be halted on June 15 because of outstanding payments owed by Tojiktransgaz (Tajik state natural-gas distributor).
The source at Tojiktransgaz told Asia-Plus today that they yesterday received telephone message from Uztransgaz yesterday, in which it warns that it will cut off natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan if Tojiktransgaz does not pay off its debts by June 15. Tojiktransgaz now owes some 17.5 million U.S. dollars in arrears to Uzbekistan.
“We do not have money to pay of our debt to Uztransgaz because our debtors have not repaid their debts,” said the source, “Among the most incorrigible nonpayers are Barqi Tojik power holding that now owes $10 million and Tojikcement and Somonsughdgaz that now owe $2million each.”
Tajikistan currently receives natural gas from Uzbekistan at the rate of some 18,000 cubic meters per hour.
