Export of some types of fuel banned in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK (Itar-Tass) - The export of some types of fuel and
lubricants has been banned in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek
Atambayev has signed a corresponding resolution, a representative of his
press service told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
"The resolution was adopted for the purpose of preventing a critical
shortage of oil products on the domestic market," the press service
representative said. The ban has been imposed on the export of petrol, of
light and medium distillates for a period of six months. The State Customs
Committee was assigned to ensure control over the fulfilment of the
resolution, and the Foreign Ministry was assigned to inform the EurAsEC
Integration Committee and the CIS Executive Committee of the resolution
adopted in Kyrgyzstan in accordance with the established procedure. Aside
from it, Atambayev ordered to inform the World Trade Organization, of
which Kyrgyzstan has been a member for about 15 years, of the measures
taken by it.
In the opinion of Kyrgyz experts, massive smuggling of petrol and
diesel fuel from the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan to the neighbouring
Tajikistan was the main reason for their shortages in that area. Fuel and
lubricants are not produced in Kyrgyzstan, and their major part is
imported from Russia at a reduced price. According to agreements with
Russia, Kyrgyzstan does not have the right to re-export fuel.
Restrictions on the sale of diesel fuel to car owners were imposed in
some parts of the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan. Gas-filling stations are
allows to sell no more than five litres of fuel per car. A special
government commission flew to southern Kyrgyzstan to analyse the situation
on the local market of oil products. Officers of the financial police, the
customs service and the frontier guard troops stepped up measures against
the smuggling of fuel and lubricants.