BISHKEK -- An agreement under which Kazakhstan will supply Kyrgyzstan with 300 million cubic meters of natural gas in exchange for water is contingent upon the cooperation of transit country Uzbekistan, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
KyrgyzGaz Chairman Turgunbek Kulmurzaev told RFE/RL that the agreement -- under which Kyrgyzstan will supply water to southern Kazakhstan in exchange for gas -- was reached on September 16 in Bishkek between Kyrgyz officials and visiting Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov.
The two sides agreed to further discuss the technical arrangements of the deal. Any agreement for natual gas to be transported to Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan would need the cooperation of Uzbek officials, who control a large part of the gas pipeline that could supply gas to Kyrgyzstan.
Kulmurzaev explained that Bishkek started looking for alternative gas supplies after Uzbekistan raised the price for natural gas deliveries to $278 per 1,000 cubic meters.
He said the exact price that Kyrgyzstan would pay for Kazakh gas has not been decided.
Read more in Kyrgyz here
KyrgyzGaz Chairman Turgunbek Kulmurzaev told RFE/RL that the agreement -- under which Kyrgyzstan will supply water to southern Kazakhstan in exchange for gas -- was reached on September 16 in Bishkek between Kyrgyz officials and visiting Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov.
The two sides agreed to further discuss the technical arrangements of the deal. Any agreement for natual gas to be transported to Kyrgyzstan from Kazakhstan would need the cooperation of Uzbek officials, who control a large part of the gas pipeline that could supply gas to Kyrgyzstan.
Kulmurzaev explained that Bishkek started looking for alternative gas supplies after Uzbekistan raised the price for natural gas deliveries to $278 per 1,000 cubic meters.
He said the exact price that Kyrgyzstan would pay for Kazakh gas has not been decided.
Read more in Kyrgyz here