Government of Kyrgyzstan to withdraw all claims against Kumtor

10:39, 12 сентября 2017, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency

The Government of Kyrgyzstan will withdraw all the claims against Kumtor Company. They were filed earlier and related to the requirements to compensate for environmental damage caused by the development of the field.

Answering the questions of journalists, the head of the State Committee for Industry, Energy and Subsoil Use, Ulan Ryskulov, recalled that according to the document, signed by the government of  and the Canadian company on September 11, Centerra Gold Inc. will also withdraw its claims against our country.

Recall, the government of  through the court demanded to compensate for the damage to the environment. The Canadian company also, through the international arbitration, sought recognition that the Kyrgyz side violates the 2009 agreement.

On September 11, 2017, the parties reached mutual understanding and withdrew their claims to each other.

The Canadian investor and the government of the signed the Agreement on Environmental Protection and Development of Investments.

As part of the agreements reached, Centerra Gold Inc. is ready to transfer $ 50 million to the Nature Development Fund to finance environmental protection measures. The money is planned to be used for the modernization and construction of new modern treatment facilities in the water area of .

In addition, the annual environmental payment, set by the 2009 agreement, has been increased from $ 310,000 to $ 3 million. Kumtor Gold Company will comply with all recommendations of AMEC, which was previously engaged by the Kyrgyz government as an independent international environmental consultant.