Azerbaijan didn't sign CIS electricity agreement

Ukraine and Moldova are expected to sign on after tariff disagreements related to Russia's entry into the WTO are settled. The agreement stipulates that trade in electricity among CIS member states will take place at a uniform price.

The document was prepared by the CIS Economic Council, which approved it last December. It was known in advance that Ukraine would not sign the document, as it would be unprofitable for it. Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Tajikistan signed. "This is very timely for us," a Tajik representative commented. "We have enormous hydro resources and we haven't been able to form a base since the time of the USSR." He added that the agreement foresees Russian investment in Tajik hydroelectric facilities. Reconstruction of the Nurek facility and completion of the Rogun Dam are main tasks. Russian Aluminum signed a $2.2-billion agreement with Tajikistan on energy and aluminum production at Rogun in 2004.

Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine did not sign the agreement. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov gave assurances that his country intended to participate in the CIS energy market, however. The agreement has less value for Russia without the participation of Ukraine and Moldova, since they are Russia's main transit partners. Now Russia will have to make separate agreements with them for electricity import and export agreements. Kommersant