OREANDA-NEWS. September 20, 2010. President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov received Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas, president of Malaysian company Petronas, at Oqsaroy residence in Tashkent.

Welcoming the guest, the head of the state said the relations of Uzbekistan with Petronas were developing steadily and successfully.

“We are sincerely glad to welcome you in Tashkent, and through you I would like to express sincere respect to the leadership of Malaysia and the people of your country that we have warm friendly relations with,” Islam Karimov said.

“One of the largest achievements of Malaysia, in our view, is the weighed and well-though character of the policy in all spheres of life,” President of Uzbekistan added.

Founded in 1974, Petronas today occupies strong positions in the world oil and gas sector. In Uzbekistan, the Malaysian company is conducting geological survey works in several investment blocks in Ustyurt plateau and Surkhandarya region.

Jointly with South Africa’s Sasol, Petronas is participating in the large project of creating a synthetic fuel plant in Uzbekistan, which will produce diesel fuel, aviation kerosene and liquefied gas.

During the visit of Petronas management to Uzbekistan, a production-sharing agreement was signed on development of Gadjak deposit in Baisun district of Surkhandarya, which means the development works will start.

Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas said Petronas was interested in developing investment cooperation with Uzbekistan.

During the negotiations, the sides considered issues of implementation of existing projects and development of new ones.