Wednesday, 29 July 2009* Turkmenistan sees Nabucco as a way of diversifying exports
* President tells Prince Andrew keen to work with UK on gas
ASHGABAT, July 28 (Reuters) - Turkmenistan, looking for alternative markets for its energy following a row with Russia, promised Britain on Tuesday to supply it with gas once a planned EU-backed pipeline connects its Caspian deposits with Europe.
Russia, which used to buy most of Turkmenistan's output, stopped importing its gas in April as it sought to renegotiate supply terms due to a fall in energy demand.
Central Asia's biggest gas producer, Turkmenistan now sees Nabucco, a pipeline designed to ease Europe's dependence on gas from Russia, as a way of diversifying exports.
Addressing Prince Andrew, Britain's special representative for international trade and investment, President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said his nation was keen to work closer with Britain on gas supplies.
"As for the prospects of supplying Turkmen natural gas to the European market, including that of Britain, this is completely in line with Turkmenistan's plans to diversify its energy exports," the official Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper quoted him as telling Prince Andrew.
The planned Nabucco pipeline will terminate in Austria, from where gas could be shipped to Britain using existing pipelines.
The European Union and Turkey this month signed a transit deal for the pipeline which aims to reduce Europe's energy dependence on Russia with a new flow of gas from the Caspian and Middle East.
Due to span 3,300 km (2,051 miles) and meet five percent of Europe's gas needs, Nabucco will bring 31 billion cubic metres of Caspian or Middle Eastern gas annually from Turkey to an Austrian gas hub via Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
"In its turn, Britain is ready to provide substantial assistance in implementing Turkmenistan's large-scale projects," Prince Andrew said according to the newspaper.
Turkmenistan produces more than 70 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas annually and used to sell about 50 bcm a year to Russia. It plans to increase output significantly in the future, which would require large investments. (Reporting by Marat Gurt; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by James Jukwey)
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Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Ferghana.ru
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