DUSHANBE, November 1, Asia-Plus – Over the first ten months of this year, Tajikistan has imported nearly 500 million cubic meters of natural gas for US$27.5 from Uzbekistan million, the Tojikgaz deputy head Shavkat Shoimov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
According to him, Tajikistan was expected to have imported 750 million cubic meters of gas from Uzbekistan at the rate of US$55.00 per 1,000 cubic meters this year. “However, we will have received just another 150 million cubic meters by the end of the year,” Shoimov said. Thus, Tajikistan will have received this year 100,000 cubic metes of natural gas less than its due.
“We are currently defining a volume of natural gas Tajikistan will need next year,” the Tojikgaz official said, noting that they plan to negotiate with the Uzbek side a definite price agreement.
Shoimov noted that an agreement on the Uzbek natural-gas supplies is expected to be signed at the end of this or in the beginning of the next year.
According to him, the volume of gas supplies will depend, firstly, on the price of the fuel and secondly, on requirements of other participants of the regions’ fuel market, who also imported natural gas from Uzbekistan.
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in October received official confirmation from Uzbek oil-and-gas company that Uzbekistan intends to raise the price of the natural gas it sells them from $55 to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters starting January 1.
