Suspicious: Turkmenistan calls for probe into pipeline blast.
Turkmenistan calls for pipe blast probe
Turkmenistan called for an international probe into an explosion on a Turkmen-Russia gas pipeline, which it says was caused by Moscow's decision to abruptly cut volumes flowing through the network.
Turkmenistan accused Moscow last week of violating its gas agreement following the 9 April blast which it says was caused by a sudden change of gas pressure in the pipeline.
Turkmenistan said Gazprom had notified it too late of its plans to cut flows but Gazprom has not commented on this.
President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov told a cabinet meeting today he wanted an international probe into the accident, according to a Reuters report.
'The President of Turkmenistan ordered the government to conduct all the necessary work to organise an international probe to find out the causes of this accident,' the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
'Turkmenistan will decide on its subsequent steps on the basis of the results of this probe including the matter of compensation for the losses incurred by Turkmenistan as a result of this accident.'
Turkmenistan is due to hold a conference on international energy security later this month where the Russia gas issue is bound to catch the attention of Turkmenistan's Western partners.
Analysts said Gazprom would benefit from a halt of gas flows at a time when demand for gas is falling in Europe due to the economic crisis.