Kyrgyzstan signed a gas price agreement with Uzbekistan and now is bound to pay $240 per 1000 cubic meters in 2009, the Minister of Industry, Energy and Fuel Resources Ilias Davydov told the news agency "24.kg" Thursday.
The long but productive talks between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek gas officials resulted in a significant haggle down from originally proposed $300 to $240 per 1000m3.
"Of course we hoped for even lower prices, but we are pleased with the negotiations' outcomes," the minister said.
Besides, the Kyrgyz delegates managed to exclude a 4 percent penalty for the unused amount of the Uzbek gas from the agreement signed. "This point always influenced the gas calculations and consequently payments," Davydov added.
In 2009 Kyrgyzstan will reportedly receive 650 million cubic meters of gas, which is less than ever before. In 2008, for instance, Uzbekistan supplied 740 million m3.
"Now we are negotiating a new plan regime of saving gas consumption," Davydov said.
