Today, on September 14, a meeting between the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov and the Canadian gold mining company Centerra GoldInc CEO Scott Perry took place in Bishkek. As reported by the press service of the Kyrgyz Republic government, the talks concerned the issues of operational activities at the Kumtor mine.
“The Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov recalled that one of the priorities of the Kyrgyz Republic Government is a complete and effective solution of all the issues concerning the environment at the Kumtor mine. Centerra company informed about the measures taken and perspective plans on the of environmental protection measures implementation”, - the report says.
The government reported no other details about the negotiations.
It stands to mention that this is the first meeting of the parties after a series of significant events:
• The renewal of the investigation of legitimacy of the agreements on “Kumtor” project of 2003-2004 and of 2009 by the General Prosecutor's Office of the Kyrgyz Republic
• The multibillion-dollar complaints to Kyrgyz Centerra subsidiaries by the state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic
• The injunction to “Kumtorgoldcompany” to hold separate financial transactions: to transfer property or assets, to declare and pay dividends, to grant loans
• The risk of work suspension at Kumtor
• The purchase by Centerra of the US company ThompsonCreekMetalsCompanyInc., owning a gold and copper mine in Canada for $ 1.1 billion
• The dilution of Kyrgyzstan percentage in Centerra owners structure
Source: Uncommercial joint ownership "Trans-regional Association of precious metals producers"