Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 16 / Trend E. Kosolapova /
Georgia and Kazakhstan plan to hold a workshop on the transfer of management in KazTransGas -Tbilisi company to the Kazakh side in late October, Georgian Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Mariam Valishvili told Trend on Monday.
"The planned joint working meeting has not been held yet," she said. "We want to offer to hold the meeting in Georgia. It will likely to be held in late October."
According to her, a list of participants who will be included in the bilateral commission on the issue from the Georgian side is being created. A similar list is expected to be received from the Kazakh side.
The company's work for the last 3-4 years will be analyzed during the meeting. The ways of paying the existing debt by the company will be discussed, she said.
"The company does not have an opportunity to pay this debt at once," she added. "The payment by installments will be required. The schedule and the company which will pay it will be discussed in the negotiations."
According to her, the transfer of management in the company has already been approved by the Georgian government. However, the technical mode of transfer has not been determined yet.
"The Kazakh side must explain their further activity and obligations in the company," deputy minister added.
Kazakh "KaztransGas" became the owner of "Tbilgazi" gas distribution company's shares after a victory on an investment contest in May 2006. The investor paid $12.5 million for the company.
The Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission appointed special manager to "KaztransGas-Tbilisi" in 2009. The reason was the company's 80 million lari (1 lari= $0.6) worth debt. Moreover, "KaztransGas-Tbilisi" ran into 68 million lari worth debt to the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation.
Georgian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Kakha Kaladze said in late 2012 that the Georgian government is ready to discuss the issue of dismissing the interim manager of "KazTransGas-Tbilisi" and return the management to the Kazakh side.