Kyrgyzstan says in talks with Iran over oil supply to refinery

 Kyrgyzstan plans to relaunch its Zhongda oil refinery in the city of Kara-Balta within two years, using oil provided by Iran, Russia and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov has said.

According to Japarov, negotiations with those three countries over the oil supply for the refinery have already begun, Kyrgyzstan’s AKIpress news agency reported on Wednesday.

It said the official made the announcement in an address to the Kyrgyz parliament the same day.

According to the agency, the project to launch the Zhongda refinery has been put on hold since 2019, with the chairman of cabinet of ministers pledging to take the measure during a recent trip to Kara-Balta, west of the capital Bishkek.