DUSHANBE, July 21, 2008, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan has cut natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan from 30,000-40,000 cubic meters per hour to 22,000 cubic meters, Asia-Plus has learned from Shavkat Shoimov, the first deputy director general of Tajik state gas-distributor.
According to him, the daily supply of the Uzbek natural gas now amounts to 528,000 cubic meters. “Uzbekistan has cut natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan due to more than $7 million Tojikgaz owes to it,” Shoimov said, noting that at present only Tajik Aluminum Company (Talco) receives gas supplies regularly and closed joint-stock company (OJSC) Tojikazot, which produce mineral fertilizers, receives natural gas partially.
According to him, Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding alone now owes some $3.8 million to Tojikgaz for natural-gas supplies and natural-gas debts of the state unitary enterprise Tojikcement (Dushanbe cement plant) have amounted to 42.5 million. Natural-gas supplies to Tojikcement have been cut off, the Tojikgaz official said.
“If these enterprises had repaid their natural-gas debts, we would have repaid out debts to Uzbekistan and been able to negotiate resumption of the natural-gas shipments in the previous volume,” Shoimov said.
