Azerbaijan, Baku, August 17/ Trend , D.Khatinoglu /
Interview of Trend Persian desk with Iranian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Mohammad Reza Forgani
Trend : Iranian Shana news agency reported on August 17 that Iran and Turkmenistan agreed upon the construction of a new pipeline. What are the details of this project?
Mohammad Reza Forgani: A new Sarakhs-Khangiran pipeline will be constructed in order to increase Turkmen gas supply to Iran. The gas pipeline will be built from Turkmenistan area of Dovlatabad to Sarakhs located on the border between the two countries. Turkmenistan must export 6 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Iran via the pipeline.
According to the agreement reached between the two countries in 2005, Ashgabat should export 14 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Iran. Despite the efforts of official Ashgabat, the volume of gas exported via the Kyurbyadzhya-Kurd pipeline did not exceed 8 billion cubic meters. Other part of the gas under the agreement (6 billion cubic meters) will be delivered to Iran through Sarakhs-Khangiran pipeline.
Q: What is the amount of financial turnover between Iran and Turkmenistan, and what are Your estimations on the prospects of economic cooperation between the two countries?
A: The amount of financial turnover between Iran and Turkmenistan is rapidly growing and economic cooperation further develops. Financial turnover between the two countries in 2006 totaled $1.4 billion, in 2007 - $1.9 billion and in 2008, this figure reached $3 billion. Major part of the financial turnover is products imported by Iran from Turkmenistan, including crude oil, gasoline, fuel oil, gas, liquefied gas, petrochemical products, as well as cotton and rope. The amount of exports from Iran to Turkmenistan also increased, totaling $300 million in 2008. According to statistics, for the amount of financial turnover with Iran, Turkmenistan ranks the first amongst the countries of Central Asia, and the second amongst the countries of the former USSR, after Russia. According to our projections, taking into account the economic potential of the two countries, the financial turnover between the two countries will continue to grow even more.
Q: Since 2007, Turkmenistan has expressed disagreement with the price of gas and stopped gas supply to Iran. Was an agreement reached on the price of gas currently?
A: About a month ago (early July) the two countries reached an agreement on the price of gas supplied to Iran. According to the agreement, the price of gas delivered to Iran is unstable. Prices will be determined on the basis of the price of oil, gas and petrochemical products in the region and world.
Q: Are negotiations held between Iran and Turkmenistan on the status of the Caspian Sea currently?
A: Yet bilateral discussions on the status of the Caspian Sea between Iran and Turkmenistan have not been conducted. Previous discussions were held between the five Caspian littoral states, and Iran and Turkmenistan discussed the status of the Caspian Sea within these meetings. The positions of the two countries on the status of the Caspian Sea coincide relatively. The policy of the two countries aims to fairly determine the status of the Caspian Sea, ensuring the interests of all five countries.