Astana, Kazakhstan, Nov.28
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
The issue of the return of Kazakh management in KazTransGas-Tbilisi will be finally resolved by the beginning of 2015, the Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze told Trend Nov.27 at the 25th session of the Energy Charter Conference.
He recalled that the issue of KazTransGas-Tbilisi was resolved within the framework of the recent visit of the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili to Astana.
Kaladze said that the Kazakh side will not pay debt of the company to the government of Georgia. This debt will be repaid at the expense of the existing debt of Georgia to Kazakhstan.
"That is, the parties will not owe anything to each other," he said.
Earlier in 2009, a special manager was appointed to the KazTransGas-Tbilisi, under a decision of a court in the Georgian city of Kutaisi on the initiative of Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation. The measure was taken due to KazTransGas-Tbilisi's 80 million GEL debt (about $48 million).
Previously, a settlement agreement was signed between KazTransGas and Bank of Georgia in Tbilisi.
Under the agreement, KazTransGas-Tbilisi's $10 million debt was written off on penalties and interest rates.
Another important step towards the settlement of disputable issues has been an agreement to restructure KazTransGas-Tbilisi's $34 million debt to the Georgian Finance Ministry.
A memorandum on investment activities in Georgia was signed in Tbilisi, Dec. 26, 2005, between KazTransGas and Georgia's Economic Development Ministry.
In order to realize the memorandum the KazTransGas created March 2, 2006 the KazTransGas-Tbilisi with a 100-percent equity interest in the authorized capital, registered in Georgia.
KazTransGas-Tbilisi acquired gas transportation assets owned by the company Tbilgazi at a price of $12.5 million.
The total length of the gas distribution system of Tbilisi is over 2,400 kilometers.
KazTransGas-Tbilisi renders services to over 300,000 gas users, including 4,900 facilities of domestic purpose, as well as 500 large industrial enterprises.