Kazakhstan says it has not received official proposal about tripartite gas union yet

AKIPRESS.COM – Kazakhstan has not yet received official proposals to create a “tripartite gas union” with Russia and Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said, informburo.kz reports.

Smailov said that negotiations are currently underway between Moscow and Astana on cooperation in the gas sector. Another round of negotiations with Gazprom is scheduled for the near future.

The topic of creating a tripartite gas union was first mentioned in November at a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan. The purpose of the agreement should be to coordinate actions during the transportation of Russian gas through the territories of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, press secretary of the leader of Kazakhstan Ruslan Zheldibai explained.

The gas pipeline system Central Asia – Center (from Turkmenistan to Russia) has been laid through the territory of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan since Soviet times. The main gas pipeline includes two branches, as well as several small branches. Its capacity is 40–50 billion cubic meters per year.

The project proposed of tripartite gas union with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan involves the creation of a coordination mechanism and the development of gas consumption and transportation infrastructure for both domestic and foreign markets, according to Kremlin.