Peskov slams Reuters info on Uzbekistan rejecting gas union as false

By Al Mayadeen English

According to the Kremlin Spokesperson, the creation of such a union implies collaborating on the basis of mutual commercial interests.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that rumors alleging that Uzbekistan rejected Russia's proposal of creating a "trilateral gas union" are wrong - claims that were spread earlier by Reuters. 

"Reuters gave false information, misinterpreted words. We know what was said. Nobody is talking about gas in exchange for political concessions. This is not being discussed in the context of the idea of creating this union," he told reporters on Thursday.

The spokesperson further said that the creation of such a union implies collaborating on the basis of mutual commercial interests, adding that each side will continue to sell its energy resources on the basis of standard commercial practices.

"The countries are interested in coordinating their actions on the further laying of transport routes, on determining further directions for the development of gas infrastructure, on meeting their domestic needs for natural gas, and here everything is quite closely intertwined," Peskov clarified.

The intent in conducting such commercial operations, according to Peskov, is for states to increase their profitability and benefit from one another.

On November 29, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the creation of a "tripartite gas union" between Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan at the Moscow meeting.

Tokayev's Spokesperson Ruslan Zheldibay said on Tuesday that "during the talks in the Kremlin between the presidents of Kazakhstan and Russia, they talked about creating a 'tripartite gas union' consisting of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan in order to coordinate actions in the transportation of Russian gas through the territories of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan."

It is noteworthy that Russia is Kazakhstan's largest trade partner.