negotiations - The Times Of Central Asia

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Turkmengaz Ends Gas Supply Contract with Gazprom Over Pricing Dispute

Turkmenistan's national gas company, Turkmengaz, has not extended its gas supply contract with Gazprom because the parties could not agree on a new fuel price. Turkmengaz Chairman Maksat Babayev explained: "On June 30, as outlined in the contract, we were set to review prices. If both sides agreed on the price, we could extend the contract. However, after negotiations, we couldn’t agree on the commercial terms. So, as per the contract, without an agreement, the contract was to end on June 30, which is what we proceeded with.” He shared this at a press conference following the “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2024” (OGT 2024) event. Babayev added that for Turkmengaz, the critical factor in starting, resuming, or ending supplies is the commercial aspect. “Contracts for purchase and sale are considered based on mutual benefit,” he explained. “Currently, demand from the north, west, and east is growing, and we are constantly in talks with various buyers and countries, so resuming supplies to Russia is certainly possible.” In 2019, Gazprom signed a five-year contract with Turkmengaz to buy natural gas through June 30, 2024. The agreement covers an annual supply volume of 5.5 billion cubic meters. Previously, Gazprom's head, Alexey Miller, announced that the company doubled the volume of gas supplies to Central Asia from January to August 2024. According to Miller, the republics' rapid economic and social development has opened meaningful new opportunities for Gazprom, which is currently at the highest possible level of gas supply to Uzbekistan.

Government International Cooperation Border disputes negotiations Kyrgyz-Tajik Border

Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan Border Demarcation Completed

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have completed negotiations to demarcate their common border, which had been disputed for many years. The final meeting of the two countries' topographic-legal working groups was completed in the town of Batken in Kyrgyzstan on August 11-17. This has been reported by the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan. "During this meeting, the parties continued the discussion and exchanged proposals on the description of the passage of the Tajik-Kyrgyz state border line in the remaining sections," the Committee commented. At the end of June, The Times of Central Asia reported that 94% of the borderline between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan had been fully delineated. The conflict was caused by uncertainties regarding the exact demarcation of the border between the two republics, which spans some 980 kilometers. With its scant natural resources and dwindling water supplies, the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been the scene of numerous armed conflicts. This situation arose after the collapse of the USSR – the parties could not agree on the ownership of dozens of disputed territories. The borderless areas have become a zone of conflict between the local population and the border troops of the other country. The last major conflict took place on September 16, 2022, as a result of which hundreds of people were killed and injured on both sides. Huge material damage was caused to the infrastructure of the border areas of the regions of Sogd (Tajikistan) and Batken (Kyrgyzstan).

Azerbaijan Armenia negotiations

Azerbaijan and Armenia to Hold Talks in Kazakhstan

Officials in Baku have agreed to a meeting of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Kazakhstan. Azeri president Ilham Aliyev stated as much at a meeting with participants of the international forum "COP29 and a Green Vision for Azerbaijan" held at ADA University, Turan.az reports. Aliyev said that if Yerevan gives reciprocal consent, their next talks will be held in Astana. He reminded the audience of the previously concluded Madrid Principles, which were first proposed in 2007. "We have a common understanding of how the peace agreement should look like. We just need to work out the details. However, of course, both sides need time. Now there is a unique chance. When the USSR collapsed there were wars in our region, unlike the Baltic States, which started their independent life peacefully. Now we have this chance. I think COP29 is a great opportunity for this," Aliyev said. On April 15 Kazakhstan's president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid an official visit to Armenia. Tokayev called on Yerevan and Baku to settle the conflict through negotiations, and he suggested Kazakhstan as the location for hosting the dialog. Tokayev himself spent years as a diplomat, and Kazakhstan seems to be positioning itself as an international mediator, aiming to be recognized as a significant diplomatic player on the world stage. Member of the Kazakhstan Institute for Social Development, Yernar Kushaliyev commented: "Kazakhstan pursues a multi-vector foreign policy, which allows it to effectively interact with various global powers and regional actors. Kazakhstan has a unique potential to play the role of the main mediator in the Eurasian region, especially in the settlement of disputes between states. The country maintains a neutral position, not participating in military conflicts, which creates favorable prerequisites for mediation and diplomacy. This position strengthens confidence in Kazakhstan as a reliable mediator and organizer of peace negotiations". Kushaliyev stresses that, in the context of the current negotiations, the military situation is not developing in Armenia's favor. "Azerbaijan, in its turn, has successfully implemented a number of strategic and tactical tasks in Nagorno-Karabakh, strengthening its positions. As a result of these circumstances, it seems likely that both sides will be able to come to constructive agreements and demarcate their borders during the negotiations to be held in Astana," he said.