Uzbekistan: Tashkent to Export Gas to China

Uzbekistan plans to use a natural gas pipeline connecting Turkmenistan and China to ship energy eastward.

In revealing Tashkent's intentions, Shavkat Mazhitov, the deputy chairman of the state-controlled energy company Uzbekneftegaz, said the amount of gas to be exported to China had not yet been determined, the Vesti.uz news web site reported on May 15.

"It is too early to speak about it. [The] figures are under discussion," Mazhitov said. Earlier in May, Uzbek authorities had announced an intention to increase the country's natural gas exports by 8 percent in 2009.

Turkmenistan has pledged to deliver 30 billion cubic meters of gas to China annually for 30-years through the 7,000-kilometer pipeline. The route is estimated to cost $7.3 billion and be operational by 2011.