Russia's gas giant Gazprom is taking a controlling stake in Kyrgyzstan's debt-ridden state gas company for one dollar, Kyrgyzgaz said on Friday. "The price has been set at one dollar" for 75 percent of the company, considering its estimated debt of $38 million, said Kyrgyzgaz director Turgunbek Kulmurzayev. Gazprom is eventually planning to buy 100 percent of the company and invest 20 billion rubles ($660 million) over five years, he said.

"The issue of Kyrgyzgaz's privatisation will be resolved by April 1, 2013." Deputy Director Kuralbek Naskeyev said Gazprom intended to transport gas from Russia through either Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan, as there is no direct link.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2012