MOSCOW

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Saturday that the tripartite gas initiative involving Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan demonstrated success.

Speaking at a news conference in Tashkent, Tokayev called "encouraging" outcomes from the collaborative gas venture.

"We aim to boost gas transit volumes through concerted efforts. Additionally, there are promising opportunities for broadening collaboration in the petroleum and nuclear sectors," he said.

In June 2023, Uzbekistan concluded a gas procurement deal with Gazprom, commencing deliveries shortly thereafter in October. By mid-October this year, Russia confirmed Gazprom was actively executing a yearly contract to provide Uzbekistan with approximately 7.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually through Kazakhstan.

President Tokayev completed a two-day state visit to Russia on Nov. 11-12 before proceeding directly to Uzbekistan. During his stay in Tashkent, he intends to join fellow leaders of Central Asian states at a scheduled consultative gathering set for Sunday.