Page 12 - FSUOGM Week 49 2022

FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

Russia proposes Kazakhstan and

Uzbekistan join “gas union”

UZBEKISTAN UZBEKISTAN may become a member of a pro- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also
posed "gas union" alongside Russia and Kazakh- confirmed the talks on a gas union, with the
Russia is looking to stan, Kommersant reported with reference to the aim of coordinating supply plans.
enhance energy ties press secretary of the Kazakh president, Ruslan Peskov said, as quoted by Kommersant,
with the rest of the Zheldibai. that energy supply routes in the region are
former Soviet Union According to Zheldibai, Kazakh President "extremely relevant” and that he believes a
as its EU relationship Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and his Russian coun- gas union "will meet the interests of all three
becomes severed. terpart Vladimir Putin discussed a plan for countries”.
a possible union at a meeting in Moscow on “Of course, this idea and initiative will take
November 28. He added that the main goal of shape in some way. I mean in terms of formu-
the union was the coordination of actions for the lating clear contours. We are talking about the
transportation of Russian gas through the terri- fact that this is a huge, vast territory in a very
tories of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. important region,” Peskov added, reported
Faced with increasingly tough Western sanc- Kommersant.
tions since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has It is currently unclear whether Tashkent will
been seeking to reorient its exports of oil and gas opt to join the mooted union.
eastwards, to China and other Asian markets. Uzbek political expert, Kamoliddin Rab-
EU states are currently discussing a gas price bimov expressed hope that Uzbekistan would
cap for Russian gas imports, though have so far not join.
failed to reach agreement on how high the cap “We have enough reasons to say no. Firstly,
should be. if Uzbekistan starts cooperation in terms of
The initiator of the idea of creating a gas the sale and purchase of energy with Russia,
union was Putin, Tokayev's spokesman said. The it in the end would lose its energy and geo-
leader of the Russian Federation is going to dis- political independence. Secondly, this would
cuss this issue with the President of Uzbekistan allow Russia to extend its ‘northern imperial-
Shavkat Mirziyoyev by phone. istic viability’. Uzbekistan is the most geopolit-
Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak ically independent state in Central Asia. It can
confirmed the negotiations on the creation of the enter and leave the CSTO whenever it wants. It
association at the IV Russian-Chinese Energy also enjoys observing the relationship of EEU
Business Forum. states within the organisation, even if it is not
"Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are dis- its member. Under these circumstances, does
cussing the possibility of creating a gas union," one believe that the country would join the new
the Russian official said. ‘union’? Definitely not,” Rabbimov said. ™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 49 12•December•2022