abce certificate
Tuesday, 02 December, 2008, 22:10 GMT | more >>

Astana and Beijing eye Caspian riches



By Upstream staff 

Kazakhstan will support China in its bid to developing resources on continental shelf of the Caspian Sea, it said in a joint communique issued by the two governments, as Astana and Beijing work to strengthen their ties.

The announcement follows a visit by Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov to China last week for talks with his Chiense counterpart Wen Jiabao.

The two sides will try to complete talks over the Darhan Block, the communique posted on Chinese foreign ministry's Web site (www.fmprc.gov.cn) said, without providing details about existing discussions.

Both governments also agreed that they would create favourable conditions to ensure a new natural gas pipeline would be completed by the end of next year, and endorsed all agreements already signed to extend an existing oil pipeline, according to the communique.

China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) said last week it would start full-scale construction of the gas line this year, eventually pumping 30 billion cubic metres of gas per year to China from central Asia countries including Turkmenistan.

In December CNPC began to extend the China-Kazakh crude pipeline from Kumkol to Kenkiyak in a move which will boost capacity to 400,000 barrels per day of oil.


Tuesday, 15 April, 2008, 09:34 GMT  | last updated: Tuesday, 15 April, 2008, 09:34 GMT

Strengthening ties: Karim Masimov and Wen Jiabao
 

e-mail this article to a colleague


to email:  from:
comments: