OREANDA-NEWS. The Gazprom headquarters hosted today a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company's Management Committee and Almazbek Atambayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The parties addressed the issues of enhancing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector. It was pointed out that Gazprom strongly contributed to meeting the growing gas demand in Kyrgyzstan. Under the General Scheme of Gas Supply to and Gasification of the Republic, the Company is executing a large-scale program for upgrading and developing domestic gas infrastructure. This year Gazprom has invested RUB 4.5 billion into the diagnostics and improvement of Kyrgyzstan's gas transmission system (GTS). The GTS was fully prepared for the 2015–2016 autumn/winter period. In 2016 it is planned to increase the volume of investments into the GTS of the Republic thrice. Currently Gazprom is also working on a program for heat supply to 15 cities of Kyrgyzstan.

In addition, the meeting considered scaling up geological exploration activities in the Kugart and Eastern Mailu-Suu IV blocks.

The parties paid special attention to Gazprom's implementation of social projects in Kyrgyzstan. Today the city of Talas is hosting the opening ceremony of the second sports & recreation center in the Republic, constructed under the Gazprom for Children program. All in all, Gazprom is planning to build 16 sports & recreation centers in Kyrgyzstan.

Gazprom Kyrgyzstan, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom is an exclusive importer of natural gas to Kyrgyzstan and the owner of the domestic gas transmission and distribution systems.

According to preliminary data, Gazprom supplied some 300 million cubic meters of gas to Kyrgyzstan in 2015.

In 2007 Gazprom and the Government of Kyrgyzstan signed the Agreement on the geological survey of subsurface resources. Under the document, Gazprom obtained two subsurface use licenses for the Kugart and Eastern Mailu-Suu IV blocks.

Gazprom for Children is the Company's largest social project aimed at creating the environment for harmonious spiritual and physical development of children and teenagers, as well as engaging the maximum possible number of children in sports activities, artistic and amateur clubs.

The first sports & recreation center constructed under the Gazprom for Children program was opened in Kyrgyzstan on August 31, 2015.