Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct.4
By Rashid Shirinov – Trend:
The energy ministries of Kazakhstan and Russia have amended the agreement on the supply of oil and oil products, Kazakh Energy Ministry said in a statement.
“Kazakhstan and Russia’s Energy Ministers Kanat Bozumbayev and Alexander Novak signed an intergovernmental Protocol on amendments to the agreement between the governments of the two countries on the trade and economic cooperation in the supply of oil and oil products to Kazakhstan of December 9, 2010,” the message says.
The changes will allow regulating the import of oil products from Russia to Kazakhstan and the export of oil products from the territory of Kazakhstan beyond the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union at the level of energy ministries of the two countries.
Thus, Kazakhstan will be able to make decisions on opening and closing exports or imports of certain types of oil products more quickly, depending on the balance of the domestic market of oil and lubricants.
Currently, there is a ban on the export of light petroleum products in Kazakhstan. The signed protocol creates opportunities for the opening of exports of light oil products of the upgraded refineries of Kazakhstan.
Previously Kazakhstan imported gasoline from Russia without customs duties, while making a commitment that it would not supply this fuel to other countries. However, Kazakhstan intends to start supplying gasoline to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in autumn, and to start exporting it was necessary to change the bilateral agreement with Russia.
In mid-September, Bozumbayev said that it is critically important for Kazakhstan to start exporting gasoline in October or November in order to prevent a glut in the market, as there is a gasoline surplus in Kazakhstan, which led to a decrease in its prices.