He said that after Uzbekistan completely cut off gas supplies to Tajikistan [over debts] on 26 September, the Tojiktransgaz open joint-stock company had fully paid back its 20.5m-dollar debt to the neighbouring country in late September.

"In all, we have managed to repay our debt in full and make a 1m-dollar advance payment. The Uzbek side is now demanding that we make an advance payment in line with a contract signed between the two companies last year. On average, Uzbek gas worth US$1.2 million or US$1.5 million is being supplied to Tajikistan every ten days, and if we do not collect this amount of money now, we may not be supplied with gas in the second ten days of October," Sharofiddinov added.