Turkmenistan to triple gas sales to Iran

A wedding convoy passes a Turkmen flag near the mausoleum of the country's former leader Saparmurat Niyazov near the capital Ashgabat February 19, 2009. REUTERS/Stringer (TURKMENISTAN)

REUTERS/STRINGER

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By Wire services

 18 November 2009 07:33 GMT

Gas-rich Turkmenistan, forced to hunt for new markets following an energy row with Russia, said today that it would more than triple gas exports to neighbouring Iran as part of its diversification strategy.

Russia, which traditionally bought almost all Turkmen gas, stopped imports this year following a pipeline explosion which has escalated into a diplomatic stand-off over new supply terms.

That has prompted Turkmenistan, its budget bleeding key export revenues due to the row, to seek closer ties with alternative buyers such as Iran, China and the West.

Reuters quoted Turkmen Energy Minister Oraznur Nurmyradov telling an annual oil and gas conference in Ashgabat that the Central Asian state's existing gas pipeline to neighbouring Iran would double its capacity to 14 billion cubic metres per year.

He…

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