Uzbekistan said Wednesday that its natural gas transportation system will not be handed to Gazprom in accordance with a "roadmap" signed with the Russian company.
“The working group formed between the parties in accordance with the ‘roadmap� agreed to carry out the necessary technical studies for natural gas transit through the ‘Central Asia-Central� pipeline passing through the territory of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,� Uzbekistan’s Energy Ministry said in a statement.
After completing technical work, the working group will discuss the main conditions for natural gas supply, it added.
Gazprom announced Tuesday it agreed on a roadmap for cooperation with Uzbekistan.
The agreement was signed in a meeting between Gazprom head Alexey Miller and Uzbekistan’s Energy Minister Jorabek Mirzamahmudov, according to a company statement.
It includes a “roadmap for cooperation in the gas industry� and was finalized after discussions on “current and future issues,� it said.
Reporting by Bahtiyar Abdulkerimov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Writing by Zehra Nur Duz
Anadolu Agency