ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 13 (UPI) -- Planned expansions to the regional energy transit sector provide members of the Commonwealth of Independent States with an economic boost, Ashgabat said.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said the energy potential of the C.I.S. members is a boon to the region socially and economically, the Trend Capital news agency reports.
"Given the colossal resource and transit potential possessed by the C.I.S. members, successful realization of joint projects, construction of new pipeline routes will give a strong impetus to economy and social development of our countries, including producers, transit countries and consumers," he said.
His comments follow the rupture of a gas pipeline to Russia last week. Ashgabat said a hasty decision by Russian gas giant Gazprom to lower the pressure in the pipeline caused technological problems, causing it to burst.
Turkmenistan sits on some of the largest gas reserves in the world. It is the second-largest gas producer in the Commonwealth of Independent States after Russia. Plans to expand the pipeline network in the region include links to China as well as the much-hyped Nabucco gas pipeline to Europe.
Ashgabat, which has advocated transit diversification repeatedly, will host a major international conference at the end of April to discuss energy security.
