"We have offered 16 billion cubic metres of gas this year to Gazprom for export, but we are ready for more, though Gazprom due to some problems could not take the figure," he said, adding that if the LUKOIL agreement to increase gas production in Uzbekistan was taken into account, the country could supply 15 billion cubic metres of gas more.

Uzbekistan sells gas to Russia and only Russia, and where and how it supplies the gas is fully under Russia’s jurisdiction, Karimov noted.

The agreement on payment according to the price formula means that the subjective disagreements to conclude contracts on gas supplies are finally removed, the Uzbek leader said.

Karimov also noted that Uzbekistan was ready to lay new branches of pipelines across its territory to ensure new supplies and transit of gas.