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Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller delivered a report via videoconference on the project implementation.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: President Tokayev, President Mirziyoyev, friends,

I would like to once again extend my heartfelt welcome to all the participants in today’s launch of Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan, and to Kazakhstan.

This is an enormous trilateral energy project, and it is being implemented using the Central Asia-Centre gas pipeline system, built in the 1960s. Back then it was the first transcontinental Eurasian gas pipeline which delivered gas from Uzbekistan simultaneously to eight union republics, carrying around 80 billion cubic metres of gas per year.

Now this pipeline will operate in reverse mode and will reliably meet the needs of the dynamically growing economy of Uzbekistan and, to some extent, Kazakhstan, which is developing at a fast pace and also needs additional energy resources.

I would like to remind you that our Uzbekistani friends asked us at the end of last year to launch gas supplies. We promptly responded to their request, issued corresponding instructions to Gazprom, which worked out all the necessary technical details with our partners from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The contract on the export of Russian gas to Uzbekistan and the agreement on its transportation via Kazakhstan were signed during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June. Pursuant to these documents, Russia will supply 2.8 billion cubic metres of gas to consumers in Uzbekistan within the next two years.

I would like to emphasise that the three countries’ specialists faced a large-scale and challenging task: to test, repair and modernise the gas transportation system facilities of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan which have not been operated for a long time.

This had to be done in the shortest possible time, very fast. We needed to complete the work before winter sets in, bearing in mind the challenges of last winter, which was very severe in Uzbekistan, with temperatures reaching minus 20 degrees; Mr Mirziyoyev said even minus 25 and lower.

The scope of the work, executed within such a short time frame, is impressive. The Aleksandrov Gai gas metering station in the Saratov Region, Russia, has been modernised. Pipelines were repaired and compressor stations were emptied in Kazakhstan. A gas metering station and a new section of the Bukhara-Ural gas pipeline were built in Uzbekistan.

Our three countries established technical supervision over the progress made in the repair and modernisation work. Issues with supplies for the project were resolved with manufacturers of pipes and fittings. Additional capacities of Russian Railways were engaged to ensure timely shipments from Russian manufacturing plants to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

It is also important to note that we used our own, state-of-the-art, innovative technologies during the modernisation of the cross-border pipeline system, and I am confident that they will ensure maximum economic efficiency, safety and environmental friendliness of fuel transportation.

The implementation of this project will have obvious benefits for all three states. Uzbekistan will receive an additional source of energy, which will guarantee an uninterrupted supply of heating and electricity to households and socially important facilities. Kazakhstan will be able to resolve issues of gas supply to its northern and eastern regions. Gazprom is already working out the corresponding routes and gas supply parameters.

Russia has confirmed its status as a reliable natural gas supplier. We are open to future cooperation and will strive to meet the needs of all our Kazakh and Uzbek friends and partners, as well as other consumers interested in this fuel.

Overall, the project undoubtedly has great importance for economic development and energy security of our three countries and the entire vast region.

In conclusion I would like to thank everyone who made sure that the interests of all three countries are taken into account, and successfully organised new schemes of Russian gas deliveries to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, all those who worked on designing and building the new gas transportation route – engineers, builders and employees of Russia’s Gazprom, Kazakh and Uzbek power engineers. We worked as a team, and I want to tell you: great job and thank you very much! Your professionalism and dedication deserve the highest praise.

Prompt implementation of such a large-scale, mutually beneficial and socially important project has shown that Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are able to tackle the most difficult, most ambitious tasks. I am confident that the strategic partnership of our three countries will continue. It will develop further and bring specific, tangible results to our nations.

Thank you very much.

Please, colleagues.

President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: President Putin, President Mirziyoyev, colleagues, friends.

I am glad to welcome you to the launch of Russian gas transit to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan. This is a truly historic event, which opens another bright page in the history of neighbourly relations between our countries, taking our strategic cooperation and energy collaboration to a whole new level.

The gas industry plays a large and important role in the steady socioeconomic development of our countries, and that is why this project meets the interests of all stakeholders. Kazakhstan has completed the preparation of the mains pipeline in its territory on time and in full. The project is aimed at diversifying Russian gas exports, expanding and modernising Kazakhstan’s gas transportation infrastructure and satisfying Uzbekistan’s growing need for natural gas, which amounts to up to three billion cubic metres a year. It will also give a powerful impetus to our countries’ industrial development, enhance the business climate, and improve the quality of people’s lives.

I would like to highlight the project’s role in strengthening regional stability and energy security of Central Asia. More than 20,000 kilometres of mains pipelines with an annual throughput capacity of up to 255 billion cubic metres pass through Kazakhstan, and our country is interested in using its transit potential in full and is ready to further increase the volume of Russian gas deliveries.

In conclusion I would like to thank President Putin for his personal contribution to promoting this extremely important transnational project. You were the driving force behind its implementation.

I would also like to express my gratitude to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his extensive support.

I want to separately thank Gazprom management and Mr Alexei Miller personally, and all Kazakh, Russian and Uzbek specialists for their professional and responsible joint work.

I want to wish you prosperity and every success.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev: President Putin, President Tokayev, participants in the launch ceremony,

I am delighted to be here at the launch of Russian natural gas deliveries to the Republic of Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan. This is a truly landmark event in our cooperation.

Energy cooperation between Uzbekistan, Russia and Kazakhstan has reached a new development level. Thanks to political will and joint efforts, a new gas transportation corridor has been established.

The Central Asia – Centre gas pipeline, which was used for many decades for gas deliveries and transit to Russia, will now be used in the reverse direction to supply the Russian blue fuel.

Over a short period, our specialists worked together to complete a huge amount of work. They prepared infrastructure for gas transportation, rebuilt sections of the gas pipeline, modernised compressor stations, and built the Beyneu gas metering station.

Additionally, our energy companies entered into agreements and contracts on natural gas deliveries and transit.

The launch of this gas transport corridor has strategic value. First, it means reliable and guaranteed supplies of the blue fuel, which is a major energy security factor for our country and the whole region.

Second, it means additional gas volumes for uninterrupted supply of hydrocarbons to the economy and households.

I would like to once again stress that this project is an outstanding example of successful, mutually beneficial energy cooperation between Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Its implementation demonstrates our unity and ability to provide a prompt response to global economic challenges, especially in ensuring energy security, and we are ready to develop a long-term partnership in this sphere.

I would like to take this opportunity and express my sincere gratitude to President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for their personal support of this strategic project and moving it forward.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our countries’ specialists and experts: gas sector professionals, engineers, builders and other oil and gas industry workers who implemented the project within the shortest time period. I would like to thank Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and KazakhGas management for their assistance in expediting the work on this project.

Colleagues, friends,

I am convinced that implementing such a large-scale project and its results will contribute to further strengthening diverse relations between our three states, and will contribute to the well-being and prosperity of our nations.

Thank you for your attention.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Mr Miller, please.

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller: President Putin, President Tokayev, President Mirziyoyev,

I am joining you from St Petersburg, Gazprom’s central office in Lakhta Centre.

Mr Putin, I would like to use this opportunity to wish you a happy birthday.

We have come together for an important event for the gas industry, a landmark event: today we give a new lease on life to the Central Asia – Centre system of mains gas pipelines. For the first time it will operate in a reverse mode to supply Russian gas to Uzbekistan.

Gas supply and transit contracts were signed in mid-June and we got down to work at once. Repairs, modernisation and new construction were carried out on a section stretching for 1,760 kilometres through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This complex of work was carried out within the shortest time period possible: just 3.5 months. I want to thank everyone who took part in this work.

You can see the gas supply system on the screen. Gas from Russia’s unified gas supply system reaches the border with Kazakhstan, is transported to the border of Uzbekistan along the specially dedicated gas transport corridor and is then delivered to consumers.

Gentlemen,

Your instruction to launch Russian gas supplies to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan was accomplished within the indicated deadlines. We will continue to develop our long-term mutually beneficial cooperation in the gas sphere.

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Alexei Millier: TheAleksandrov Gaicompressor station located on the border of Russia and Kazakhstan is on the line.

Mr President of Russia, I ask for your permission to launch the supplies of Russia gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan.

Vladimir Putin: You have my permission

Alexei Miller: Launch the supplies of Russian gas.

Remark: Gas is being supplied. The pressure in the mains pipeline corresponds to the set parameters, all systems are working in a stable operation mode.

Vladimir Putin: Congratulations to everyone!

(Applause.)

Once again thank you for your work. We are sure that it will continue.

We agreed with our colleagues that we will discuss the future prospects now. They are serious and substantial – in the energy sector in general, not only in terms of gas supplies. We are well aware of the demands. The economies of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Tokayev and President Mirziyoyev are growing at a fast pace, and the countries need energy. We have plans and opportunities, as you have just reported and showed us. We have very well-trained professionals – in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia.

We will discuss all of these issues with our colleagues today and I am confident that we will find solutions to satisfy the growing needs of all our countries.

Thank you very much once again.