ASGABAT, Turkmenistan, June 21 (UPI) -- The Turkmen government proposed Wednesday that Russian gas giant Gazprom purchase gas at $100 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas.
The proposed deal is more than $35 over the current price. The Russian government returned with a counteroffer of $65 per 1,000 cubic meters, but the Turkmen government has refused this proposal, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
"If no contract to this effect is concluded with (Russia's) Gazprom during the next 1-1/2 months for the supply of Turkmen natural gas, Turkmenistan will stop gas supplies," said Turkmen Minister of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Gurbanmyrat Atayew.
If a contract is not concluded with Gazprom within the next six weeks, Turkmenistan will discontinue its gas supplies to the company, Atayew said.
"As for the Turkmen gas supplies to Ukraine, it currently does not have its own pipelines for transporting gas from Turkmenistan. That is why this issue can be dealt with after the Ukraine side reaches relevant agreements with the gas transit countries," Atayew said.
