Turkmenistan to supply Iraq with 9 bcm of gas annually via Iran

ASHGABAT. Nov 9 (Interfax) - Turkmenistan's State Concern Turkmengaz and an Iraqi delegation led by Electricity Minister Ziad Ali Fadel have signed a protocol on the sale of Turkmen gas to Iraq, Turkmenistan's state news agency, TDH, said.

According to the protocol, 9 billion cubic meters of Turkmen natural gas will be transported annually through to Iraq under the SWAP scheme over a period of five years.

The parties discussed issues related to the organization of supplies of Turkmen natural gas as well as the legal, commercial, financial, and organizational conditions for future joint activities in the gas industry.

Turkmengaz and the Iraq Electricity Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding in October.

TDH said Turkmenistan's "internationally significant proposals in the energy sector have received and continue to receive their practical implementation in a number of large energy projects, including gas pipelines Turkmenistan-China, Turkmenistan-Iran, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India, high-voltage power transmission lines from Turkmenistan to Iran and in the Afghan direction."

It said Turkmenistan was considering as promising new partners a number of states from the Far, Middle and Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, which show great interest in effective interaction with Turkmenistan in the energy sector and that the Republic of Iraq should be highlighted among them.