DUSHANBE, February 7, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan is still continuing negotiations with Uzbekistan on natural gas shipments for this year.
An official source at the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI) says the negotiations that are currently being carried out at the level of foreign ministries and relevant agencies of the two countries have not yet been crowned with success.
We will recall that Tajik Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov on December 25 sent a letter to Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyayev asking to help solve the natural gas shipment problem. Tajik PM reportedly noted in his letter that Tajikistan’s annual requirements in natural gas are 200 million cubic meters.
Uzbek natural gas prices vary quarterly depending on the world trends and Tajikistan must make prepayments every ten days.
In 2010, an average price of 1,000 cubic meters of Uzbek natural gas for Tajikistan was US$240.00; in the first quarter of 2010, the price of 1,000 cubic meters of Uzbek gas was US$231.00 and in the fourth quarter, it rose to US$254.00.
In the first quarter of 2011, Tajikistan bought natural gas from Uzbekistan at US$227.85 per 1,000 cubic meters, while the price for the second quarter was US$249.19 per 1,000 cubic meters. In the third quarter, Tajikistan bought natural gas from Uzbekistan at US$284.33 per 1,000 cubic meters and the price for the fourth quarter was US$311.00.
Last year, an average price for 1000 cubic meters of Uzbek gas in Tajikistan was 300.00 U.S. dollars.
In 2012, Tajikistan received 132.4 million cubic meters of natural gas from Uzbekistan, 46.6 million cubic meters fewer than in 2011.
Uzbekistan suspended gas deliveries via pipeline to Tajikistan on December 31 after both sides failed to agree on gas prices following the expiration of their contract.
Uzbekistan, Tajikistan”s only supplier of gas, routinely suspends gas deliveries to its neighbor amid complaints of nonpayment.
