Kazakhstan insists on position regarding Kyrgyzstan's gas debt

Kazakhstan, Astana, April 16 /Trend D.Mukhtarov/ KazTransGas intends to maintain its position with regard to Kyrgyzgaz regarding the repayment of its gas debt on time, KTG official Daulet Arykbaev told Trend on Monday. "According to the agreement signed with the Kyrgyz side, which term expires on April 30 this year, Kazakhstan had to supply 240 million cubic meters of gas in Kyrgyzstan since the autumn of last year. Arykbaev noted that KazTransGaz sent a letter to Kyrgyz side on the repayment of the debt until the end of the contract period, i.e. until April 30, 2012. At present, negotiations on the conclusion of another contract on gas supplies from May 1, 2012 are being held, Arykbaev said. As previously reported, the Kazakh KTG warned that will stop gas supplies to Kyrgyzstan from May 1 due to the debt of Kyrgyzgaz in the amount of $ 7.5 million. "Today, Kyrgyzstan's debt to the JSC KazTransGas is $7.5 million, to the airline UzTransGas - $800.000. A warning from Kazakhstan came that if we not pay debts, then they can stop gas supply from May 1," CEO Turgunbek Kulmurzaev said at a meeting of Kyrgyzgaz shareholders on April 16, 2012. Kulmurzaev added that Kyrgyzgaz sold 249.3 million cubic meters of gas at $ 4 billion 89.9 million soum (100 soum = $2.1355) in 2011. The amount of dues payments totaled 4 billion 39.3 million soum or 98.9 percent. Kulmurzaev said the people pay the bills for gas timely. The main debtors are budgetary organizations. Government is taking steps to repay the debts of Kyrgyzzhilkommunsoyuz state enterprise. The allocation of 100 million soum from the budget is expected this week, he said. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az