Moscow ready to increase gas supply to Uzbekistan - Deputy PM Novak

SAMARKAND. Dec 2 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan is interested in Russia's project of a trilateral gas union with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and an agreement to continue dialogue has been reached at a meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of the heads of government in Samarkand, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said after the negotiations.

"We have agreed to continue the dialogue. We are ready to increase gas supply to Uzbekistan, considering that gas consumption in Uzbekistan has been growing and will continue to grow in the near future. It is possible to broaden cooperation in gas supply. Technical details will be considered in the near future," Novak said.

As to whether Uzbekistan is interested in the gas union, Novak said, "Yes, of course, we have agreed to continue this work, given the interest in additional Russian gas supply to Uzbekistan. Once again, we need to ponder technical and commercial issues."

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on November 28 that Russian President Vladimir Putin had noted the need for a trilateral union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Tokayev said that Kazakhstan needed "to look into this in order to arrive at the respective results and agreements."