Ashgabat wants to clarify some issues concerning gas alliance of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
ASHGABAT. Aug 14 (Interfax) - It is necessary to clarify some issues concerning the prospects of expansion of the "trilateral gas alliance" of Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Myrad Archayev, deputy chairman of the state concern Turkmengaz, said on Saturday.
Some media on August 11 released a statement by Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Economic Cooperation Department, concerning the "trilateral gas alliance" involving Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Archayev said in a commentary with the Turkmenistan State News Agency. Birichevsky said Russia does not rule out "the possibility of expansion of trilateral interaction in the gas sphere" and knows "that other states are showing an interest in it as well."
This statement raises at least some issues, in particular, what possibilities of expansion are meant, what other states are showing an interest in it, and what is generally behind the trilateral interaction in the gas sphere, Archayev said.
"Full clarity is needed here ass the interests of other states, including Turkmenistan, are affected," the chairman of Turkmengaz said.
"Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China have been interacting for a long time on transportation of natural gas from Central Asia to China, with clearly agreed volumes, dates, economic and technical parameters," he said.
"Three threads of the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline are now functioning, through which gas is supplied from Turkmen deposits in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country," Archayev said. "All three lines, production capacities that ensure their operation, were built jointly solely by the Turkmen and Chinese sides, respectively, the state concern Turkmengaz and China National Petroleum Corporation, CNPC," Archayev said.
Turkmenistan is the largest gas supplier via this pipeline: of the total agreed supply volume, which is 55 billion cubic meters a year, 40 billion cubic meters was contracted by Turkmenistan and the remaining volumes are ensured by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, he said.
"Gas sources from other countries to fill in the pipeline are not envisaged, and plans for expansion of the number of participants in the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline are not included in the existing scheme for distribution of gas supplied to China," he said.
"Turkmenistan is closely observing its obligations to the Chinese, Uzbek and Kazakh partners. And it lawfully hopes for reciprocity," Archayev said.
Any changes in agreed and registered volumes and gas supply schemes using the existing infrastructure require preliminary approval of all participants without exception, he said. In the meantime, Archayev said no consultations have been conducted with Turkmenistan on this matter.
"Turkmenistan does not understand and does not accept such approach, our country regards it as breaching the norms of international law and the practices of working in the gas sphere," Archayev said.
"In this context, Turkmenistan is seriously concerned about the statements by official representatives that affect the international obligations of our country in any way and that may cause ambiguity and speculations about their observance by other participants," he said.
"Turkmenistan is working on the assumption that international cooperation, including in such important segment as energy supply, should be based on public and clear criteria, mutual respect and regard for interests, strict observance of the agreements reached. Fluctuations in the external economic situation cannot be a reason for changes in these principles," Archayev said.