Putin: Russia Delivering Gas to Georgia Despite Political Problems

Despite political problems with Georgia, Russia is still delivering gas there, Russia’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, told journalists on January 8 while speaking about gas row with Ukraine.

“I want to draw your attention that we are still delivering gas to Georgia, regardless of political problems with that country. And Georgia – we have to note this with compliment to our relevant partners in Georgia – has informed us recently that it was ready to resume gas supply to South Ossetia. We are not linking political problems with the economic ones," Putin said.

Meanwhile, Georgian Energy Minister, Alexandre Khetaguri, said in response that Georgia was not receiving gas from Russia.

“We are now fully receiving gas from Azerbaijan’s various sources, including from Shah-Deniz and from [Azeri state company] SOCAR based on the recently signed five-year contract,” Khetaguri told journalists.

The Georgian Energy Ministry said in November that according to the contract SOCAR would provide 1.05 billion cubic meters of gas to Georgia in 2009. Georgia needs at least 1.7 billion cubic meters of gas annually. And earlier comments by senior Georgian officials suggested that the Azerbaijani gas delivered by SOCAR would go to only household consumers.

As far as gas supply to breakaway South Ossetia is concerned, the Georgian Energy Minister again reiterated that the Georgian side would only be able to resume delivery of gas in the region after the pipeline is fully restored. Khetaguri said that the Georgian workers were not able yet to carry out repair of one section of the pipe in the village of Dirbi, at the South Ossetian administrative border, because of security reasons.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)