Central Asia-Center gas pipeline technical issues resolved
ASHGABAT. Sept 21 (Interfax) - A resumption of deliveries of Turkmen gas to Russia was the main topic at a Turkmen government meeting on Friday.
"Turkmen-Russian cooperation in the energy area meets the long-term mutual interests of the two countries," Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedow said following Deputy Prime Minister Baimyrat Khodzhamuhammedow's report on the completion of maintenance and repair work on Turkmenistan's gas pipeline system.
The work, along with consultations between Russia and Turkmenistan, helped to resolve a number of technical issues, Berdimuhamedow said.
An accident on the Turkmen segment of the SATs-4 pipeline (Central Asia-Center) on April 9 halted gas shipments to Russia.
Khodzhamuhammedow also reported on the ribbon-cutting ceremonies scheduled later this year for the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline on December 15 and for the new, supplementary gas pipeline to Iran in the final 10 days of the year.
The new export pipelines to Iran and China are an important step in implementing Turkmenistan's energy strategy, which calls for boosting hydrocarbon production and diversifying export routes, Berdimuhamedow said.
"Possessing huge reserves of natural gas, Turkmenistan in accordance with the strategy being implemented will bend every effort in order to more effectively utilize its natural wealth to benefit the nation and to supply global demand for energy," he said.