President of Georgia proposes diversifying supply of gas through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan
BAKU-TBILISI. May 8. KAZINFORM - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili welcomes the commitment of the Government of the country to diversify its gas supplies, but not at the cost of its acquisition in Russia, said the President on the eve in an interview to Georgian TV channels at the first South Caucasus Forum, which takes place in Baku.
"Part of the gas, and so we get from Russia in the form of transit fees for Russian gas to Armenia. We need to seek new opportunities for gas negotiating with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, " Saakashvili said.
According to Saakashvili, Russia has repeatedly put Georgia in a very difficult situation in the winter, when due to explosions on the gas pipeline in the Russian territory, Georgia's population was left without fuel and heat.
"So all these conversations are conducted with one aim - to bring us back into orbit of Russia and deprive us of our freedom, which is unacceptable," said the President of Georgia.
In an interview with the Georgian edition of "Version" Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia Kakha Kaladze did not rule out the possibility of starting negotiations with Russia to diversify gas supplies for Georgia. The main supplier of gas to Georgia is Azerbaijan, which delivers it at reduced rates.