Decision to sell 75% in Kyrgyzgaz to Gazprom might be made at start of 2012 - authorities
MOSCOW. Dec 20 (Interfax) - A final decision might be made at the start of 2012 for the sale of OJSC Kyrgyzgaz to Russian gas giant Gazprom , the head of Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev's department for foreign policy, Sapar Isakov, told journalists following meeting between Atambayev and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller on Tuesday morning.
"At the meeting with OJSC Gazprom's CEO Alexei Miller, an agreement was reached that the bilateral working group should bring the issue of OJSC Kyrgyzgaz's privatization to a conclusion by mid-February of next year," Isakov said.
Isakov added that Gazprom confirmed during negotiations that it plans "the stable financing of geological exploration of gas fields located in the republic's southern region."
In addition, Atambayev and Miller discussed the stable supply of petroleum products to Kyrgyzstan on a duty-free basis.
Isakov also said that the Kyrgyz-Russian joint venture, GazpromneftAero-Kyrgyzstan, which supplies aviation fuel to the U.S. center for transit flights, plans to bring its share of deliveries to 50% of the center's requirements in February 2012. The JV intends to boost its supply share to 90% in the future. At present, the JV supplies 20% of the aviation fuel to the facility.
The Kyrgyz government and Gazprom have been in negotiations for the privatization of 75% of the shares in OJSC Kyrgyzgaz, which is under state ownership, for over a year now.