DUSHANBE, December 14, Asia-Plus – In connection with Uzbekistan’s decision to raise the price of natural gas for other countries, tariffs of natural gas will rise in Tajikistan by 30%-40% beginning on January 1, 2007, a source at Tajik national gas concern said.
The preliminary talks between Tajik national gas concern and Uzbekistan’s Uztransgaz (Uzbek gas supply company) in Tashkent on December 7 ended unsuccessfully. The parties failed to reach a consensus on the reduction in the new prices.
The Tojikgaz director general Fathiddin Mukhsiddinov yesterday left for Tashkent to negotiate signing of a contract on import of Uzbek natural gas in 2007. Tajik gas concern first deputy general director Shavkat Shoimov said that the contract may possibly be signed today afternoon. “Everything depends on the results of negotiations of Uztransgaz with Kyrgyz representatives, who are currently also in Tashkent,” Shoimov said.
According to him, new tariffs have been determined at 300 somonis (nearly US$90) per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas for those who have gas meters (against the previous 272 somonis or US$79) and at 10 somonis per each member of family for those who do not have gas meters (against the previous 6.80 somonis).
Tajikistan plans to import not more than 650 million cubic meters of gas from Uzbekistan next year. This year, Tajikistan was supposed to have imported 750 million cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan but because of financial shortages Tojikgaz has reduced the Uzbek gas imports to 610 million cubic meters this year.
Uzbekistan said in October that it will increase the price of its natural-gas supplies to other countries from $55to to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters on January 1, 2007. Uzbekistan justified the decision as based on world market trends.
