DUSHANBE (TCA) — Russian President Vladimir Putin last week signed the law on ratification of the Agreement on cooperation with Tajikistan in oil products supplies, Avesta news agency reported.
The Agreement provides for duty-free delivery of Russian oil products to Tajikistan for the country’s domestic consumption.
The Agreement provides for supplying around one million tons of oil products per year, including automobile gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, fuel oil, bitumen, and liquefied hydrocarbon gas.
The document also bans re-export of Russian duty-free oil products by Tajikistan. The re-export ban also applies to oil products delivered from other member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (which except Russia includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).
In case of violation of the ban, the Russian side may suspend duty-free oil products supplies to Tajikistan.
The Tajik government earlier said that by 2020, Tajikistan would meet more than half of the country’s need for motor fuel with oil products produced by domestic oil refineries.
By that time, Tajikistan is to complete the construction of several new oil refineries.
Tajikistan’s need for motor fuel is estimated at 1.6 million tons a year.
The country currently relies on imports, mainly from Russia, to meet domestic fuel needs.
Tajikistan has several large oil and gas fields that are developed by western oil companies.
Last month, Australian Skyland Petroleum Limited started oil production from its first well on the Kyzyl-Tumshuk oil and gas field in Tajikistan. The company said the oil produced at the field will be sold on the local market.
