TURKMENISTAN: PIPELINE RUPTURE PATCHED, BUT ENERGY STILL NOT FLOWING TO RUSSIA

Eurasianet

9/21/09

In the better-late-than-never department: Turkmenistan’s main export
pipeline to Russia is fully operational after more than a five-month
repair ordeal that featured acrimonious verbal exchanges between
Ashgabat and Moscow.

The pipeline, known as CAC-4, exploded in April bringing Turkmen gas
exports to Russia to halt. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. Now, only "technical discussions" between Ashgabat and
the Kremlin-controlled conglomerate Gazprom preclude the immediate
resumption of exports, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov announced.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on September 18 the Turkmen president
described Russia as Turkmenistan’s "historic, strategic partner." He
went on to say that the two states would "strengthen and develop
our relations."

A date for the talks on the resumption of exports has yet to be
fixed. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s aide, Sergei Prikhodko, said
on September 14 that talks might happen "over the coming weeks." [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress