Uzbekistan’s natural gas transport system will not be handed to Russia’s Gazprom: Energy Ministry

Statement comes after Russian energy company agreed to roadmap for cooperation with Uzbekistan

By Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AA) - Uzbekistan said Wednesday that its natural gas transportation system will not be handed to Gazprom in accordance with a "roadmap" signed with the Russian company.

“The working group formed between the parties in accordance with the ‘roadmap’ agreed to carry out the necessary technical studies for natural gas transit through the ‘Central Asia-Central’ pipeline passing through the territory of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,” Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry said in a statement.

After completing technical work, the working group will discuss the main conditions for natural gas supply, it added.

Gazprom announced Tuesday it agreed on a roadmap for cooperation with Uzbekistan.

The agreement was signed in a meeting between Gazprom head Alexey Miller and Uzbekistan’s Energy Minister Jorabek Mirzamahmudov, according to a company statement.

It includes a “roadmap for cooperation in the gas industry” and was finalized after discussions on “current and future issues,” it said.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz.

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