Turkmenistan Threatens Gas Cutoff To Russia After Talks Collapse

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty ^ | June 29, 2006 | RFERL

[sergey1973]

PRAGUE, June 29, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry warned in a statement today after a suspension of talks on gas deliveries to Russia that supplies will be cut off in September if Moscow and Ashgabat fail to reach a new import deal.

Russian gas giant Gazprom said today that it has been unable to reach agreement on price in a new import deal with Turkmenistan and that negotiations have been suspended.

The announcement of the negotiations' collapse came after a meeting between Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov and Gazprom chief Aleksei Miller.

Turkmenistan wants to raise the price of its gas sales to Russia to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters for supplies in the second half of 2006 and in 2007.

The Turkmen Foreign Ministry today confirmed that Ashgabat would honor a previous, 30 billion-cubic-meter contract to sell gas to Russia for $65 per 1,000 cubic meters.

A Ukrainian delegation led by Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov arrived in Ashgabat later on June 29 for talks aimed at securing supplies of Turkmen gas for the second half of 2006 and beyond.

During the talks, which are scheduled for June 30, Turkmenistan is expected to push for Ukraine to pay more for its gas.

Turkmenistan has recently looked to other prospective markets to sell its gas, including signing a deal in early April that foresees a gas pipeline to deliver Turkmen gas directly to China.

Turkmenistan is also looking to Iran. The $190 million Korpezhe-Kurt Kui pipeline from Turkmenistan to Iran, launched in 1997, is the first natural-gas export pipeline in Central Asia to bypass Russia.

Iran announced in early March that it intends to buy 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas from Turkmenistan this year, up from 5.8 bcm in 2005, and 14 bcm a year starting in 2007.

[sergey1973]

Not another Gas War in fmr. USSR ! Further illustration what happens when Political and Economic powers become one and the same. If Turkmenistan carries out it's threats, there will be ripple effect for Russia, Ukraine and Europe not unlike the effect of earlier Russian-Ukrainian gas war.

[sergey1973]

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[sergey1973]

Gas Pipelines Georgraphy

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Hows it feel Putin?!!!!

[sergey1973]

Don't know how Putin feels, but Turkmenistan's president Niyazov should always feel better -:))

Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan president for Life and the new messenger from Allah !

No kidding, he proclaimed himself to be one and jailed the leading imam of Turkmenistan who rebelled and refused to put quotes from Niyazov book "Rukhnama" (The Book of Soul) at the walls of the Ashgabat mosque together with the quotes from Koran !

"Rukhnama" is the required reading book for all living in Turkmenistan, from grade school to the university. It's also a required reading at all the workplaces (factories, hospitals, etc).

Even Better News ! Niyazov said that he talked to Allah and agreed that anyone who will read "Rukhnama" 3 times will automatically get to paradise ! No need for suicide bombing, infidel beheading, etc. He's surely a tyrant, but maybe he can give a birth to a really MODERATE ISLAM ? !!!!

[WestVirginiaRebel]

I understand this guy has developed a cult of personality that would put Lil' Kim to shame. But I guess if you have enough oil and gas you can talk to Allah all you want...

[sergey1973]

Sure, but maybe he can be used to spread the message among Muslims that war with Infidels no longer necessary. Just read his book 3 times and your 72 virgins will be reserved for you !!! -:))))