Page 15 - FSUOGM Week 05 2023

FSUOGM POLICY FSUOGM

The document covered matters including the That followed unconfirmed media reports,
processing of Kazakh gas at Russia’s Orenburg citing anonymous sources, that Russia was
gas plant and “the possibility of Russian gas sup- making demands about taking control over
plies to Kazakhstan,” Astana said. Central Asian gas transportation systems.
A statement from Uzbekistan’s Energy Min- There was “no threat of handing over the gas
istry on January 25 revealed that its agreement transportation system to anyone, or to our sov-
also covers Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan. ereignty,” Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry said.
The roadmap outlines the “technical actions Gas-producing Kazakhstan and Uzbeki-
necessary to carry out the transit of gas along the stan already import some gas from Russia, and
Central Asia-Center pipeline,” which links Rus- Moscow said last month it was in talks with the
sia with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, it said. two about increasing exports as they cry out
But the ministry took pains to stress that for extra supplies amid a winter energy crisis
everything would be done in “the full defence of in Central Asia.
the national interests.” Kazakhstan also exports gas to Russia, while
It was worth “underlining separately” that Uzbekistan does not.
the talks with the Russians and the resulting The two countries usually send the bulk of
roadmap set the goal “of supplying natural their exports to China, but both Astana and
gas to [Uzbekistan’s] domestic market in the Tashkent say they have halted gas exports this
necessary volumes, with the full preservation winter to conserve supplies for domestic use.
of the right of ownership (full preservation of Uzbekistan has committed to halting
the right of administration) over the existing exports altogether by 2025, and Kazakhstan
gas transportation system of the Republic of is mulling an end to exports as soon as this
Uzbekistan.” year. ™

Week 05 01•February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P15