Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, June 12 /Trend H.Hasanov/
"We are considering the option of importing gas from Turkmenistan which can provide about five billion cubic meters of gas a year," Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Yuriy Boyko said, Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday.
UNIAN notes that in exchange for gas, Turkmenistan is ready to consider the participation of Ukrainian companies in the implementation of infrastructure projects.
"However, such an arrangement requires permission from Russia to use its pipelines," the media said.
In addition, Ukraine is discussing the purchase of liquefied natural gas from Qatar and the United States.
Earlier, it was reported quoting Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov, who was received by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov that Ukraine hopes for direct supplies of Turkmen gas.
Ukraine can get access to the resources of Turkmen gas through the gas pipeline Central Asia-Centre (CAC) pipeline which passes through the territories of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia and is controlled by the Russian company Gazprom.
Currently, the CAC does not work at full capacity. Russia, as a result of the global recession reduced the purchase of up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas since 2010, which is four times less than in 2008. Experts point out that Gazprom traditionally buys Turkmen gas for its re-export to Europe, including Ukraine.
Turkmenistan has previously stated its readiness to supply the same volume of gas to the CAC, but it is still an open question. At the same time, according to official Kiev, there is a point in the agreement on the free trade zone of the CIS that provides equal access to the gas transport capacity of the CIS countries.
Official Kyiv recently reported that Ukrainian enterprises and companies are willing to participate in the Turkmenistan important infrastructure projects of national importance, such as gas pipelines. In particular the East-West in the country and internationally on the Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India (TAPI) route are of interest.
General contractor for the East-West project is state concern Turkmengaz. This pipeline will be laid for a connection of fields in the east with the western part bordering the Caspian Sea, from where it may be possible to enter world markets in Europe via the Caspian Sea and Russia through the coast of the pond.
Azarov also announced its readiness to promote the implementation of the Trans-Caspian project, 'which is being discussed by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and the EU'.
As for TAPI, Ashgabat has made concerted efforts to enhance the project in recent years. In particular, Turkmenistan has proposed inter-Afghan peace talks under the auspice of the UN, since Afghanistan is an important transit country. In addition, an agreement for the sale of gas to Islamabad and New Delhi has been signed with a memorandum of understanding signed with Kabul.