Russia, Uzbekistan preparing investment project with Gazprom

Interfax June 18 Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia and Uzbekistan are working on a major investment project, which will involve the Russian gas company Gazprom. "All this is not the result of one or two days of work. It has taken years to achieve," Putin told journalists in Tashkent on Thursday. Confirming Gazprom's plans to invest $1 billion in Uzbekistan, the Russian president said that the company "will be involved in extracting oil and gas as well as developing Uzbekistan's pipeline network." Russian aircraft building companies have opened their plants in Uzbekistan to manufacture products for third countries' markets, including China, which is an indication that Uzbekistan has a favorable environment for investments. "Russian business can be confident that it is possible to work in Uzbekistan without looking back on certain unfavorable events in this country," Putin said.