The director-general of the Tojikgaz state unitary enterprise, Fathiddin Muhsiddinov, said today, 4 December, that currently his deputy Saidahmad Sharofiddinov was in Tashkent, where he was discussing with his Uzbek colleagues prices for natural gas in 2008.

Muhsiddinov said the Uzbek side told his Tajik counterparts that prices for the natural gas being supplied into Tajikistan would depend on the world prices for the fuel. "To the moment, the Uzbek side has made no specific proposals regarding this. However, we will negotiate so that an increase for the blue fuel be minimal as much as possible," Muhsiddinov added.

He also added that Tajikistan was intending to buy 1bn cu. m of natural gas from Uzbekistan in 2008. This year, Tojikgaz has a contract with Uztransgaz to supply 700m cu. m of natural gas into Tajikistan at the price of 100 dollars per 1,000 cu. m.

However, Muhsiddinov said until the end of the year, Tajikistan would be purchasing not more than 630-650m cu. m. This is due to high prices, not all industrial companies of Tajikistan could meet their demand.