“The Kyrgyz government positioned itself on the negotiations over Uzbek natural gas delivery, asking to explain why the gas costs have doubled,” Igor Chudinov, the Kyrgyz Prime Minister said during the TV call-in show in Bishkek Wednesday.

The premier noted that Kyrgyzstan sticks to this position since 2007 when the gas talks have started. The Uzbek explain the price rise with the world formula, Chudinov says. “They link gas costs to the oil costs. However, the oil prices are dropping. It means that the gas prices are not explained by this formula.”

Chudinov has hopes that Kyrgyzstan will make a good deal with Uzbekistan on the gas issue. “We have an intergovernmental agreement, where it says that Uzbekistan promises to deliver us gas, while we - Kyrgyzstan give 600 cubic meters of water and 600 million kW/h of electricity. We agreed on these conditions, in order to keep the Bishkek heat and power plant operational. I think that our Uzbek partners have to understand it clearly.”

Another opportunity for the Kyrgyz gas industry development is Gazprom, which now examines the Kyrgyzgas privatization chances.