“That we have achieved a new scale of cooperation in gas trade, in particular, the free market conditions of pricing is very good,” Medvedev said upon the end of his state visit to Uzbekistan.

“This means that we shall be able to move further on that basis in other directions. We may cooperate in the acquisition of sources of raw materials and in building new transport facilities. On the whole, we have very good chances of preserving energy cooperation as an important element of Russian-Uzbek relations.”

Russia will be prepared to participate in major joint projects, including those in the hydropower industry on the condition the projects are agreed with all other parties concerned.

“All sorts of projects, let along such big ones as the construction of hydropower plants, must be adjusted for the opinion of neighbors,” he said.

“Acting at one’s sole discretion would be impossible. The results would be equal to nothing or breed tensions that would have to be resolved by political means, and not economic ones. Russia proceeds from the understanding each country that is about to launch some project must come to terms with its neighbors first.”