Uzbekistan holding talks on gas import from neighboring countries under commercial contracts - Uzbek energy minister

TASHKENT. Dec 7 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan plans to import gas and electrical power from neighboring countries under commercial contracts, but not through any alliance or union, the country's Energy Minister Zhurabek Mirzamakhmudov told local media on Wednesday.

"In order to meet the demand, to cover internal consumption and solve the problem, we are now holding talks to import gas and electrical power from the neighboring countries, not through some alliance or union," Mirzamakhmudov said.

The Uzbek side is now holding talks on the purchase of energy resources based on internal needs with regard for national interests, under commercial contracts, purchase and sale, he said. Mirzamakhmudov did not state the volumes of energy import and the supplier countries.

Uzbekistan started experiencing a shortage of gas and electrical power and problems with their supply to the population and the economy after cold weather set in.

Gas extracting capacities in Uzbekistan make it possible to extract some 70 billion cubic meters of gas a year. The supply of hydrocarbons declined considerably due to the exhaustion of resources, technological losses and the absence of an effective control system. In January-September, gas extraction in the country declined by 1.6% from 2021 to 38.85 billion cubic meters.

According to earlier reports, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on November 28 that Russian President Vladimir Putin at earlier talks had spoken about the need to create a trilateral union involving Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Tokayev also said the Kazakh side "needs to look into the subject" to "achieve the needed results and agreements."

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak later told reporters that Russia plans to use the project of a trilateral union with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to meet the country's internal needs for gas and to boost the export potential.

It was earlier reported that Uzbekistan is interested in the project to create a gas union.