Azerbaijan, Baku, June 30 / Trend H. Hasanov /
China asked for more Turkmen gas. It exceeds those amounts, which were originally specified, that is 40 billion cubic meters of fuel a year.
The western diplomat working in Turkmenistan said that besides economic benefits, Beijing will strengthen its growing position in the region of Central Asia. It has been established due to commissioning of the pipeline and billion-dollar loans to the Central Asian countries.
At this stage, a principal agreement has been agreed at the political level. But, taking into account that the two capitals began talking about the second stage of the gas network, one can expect that capacity of a pipeline commissioned from Turkmenistan to China via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in December 2009 will increase by several times.
At the same time it was planned that this project will work for the projected capacity of 40 billion cubic meters in 2012-2013.
The question of additional supplies was raised by secretary, member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party He Guoqiang.
According to the information indicated in the press release of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, Ashgabat, selling gas to Russia and Iran, and waits for the development of markets in Europe and South-East Asia in future, reacted this idea positively.
"The construction of the second stage of the pipeline from Turkmenistan to China envisages additional supply, i.e. beyond the above-mentioned figure of 40 billion cubic meters", the ministry said.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, appealing to Chinese chairman Hu Jintao at one of the meetings said that "cooperation with China has a long-term and strategic character.
It does not depend on the international political situation. It will not be influenced from outside."
He said that the gas pipeline Turkmenistan-China is an example of true partnership. It will ensure the balance of interests of a supplier, a consumer and a transit country. "The Chinese leader stressed that the opening of the gas pipeline is beneficial to all countries in the region."