Turkmenistan's Oil and Gas Ministry says in a statement shipments would be halted starting from July 25 for eight days, reducing the country’s overall daily gas exports by up to 80 million cubic meters.
The ministry says the suspension for repair work was requested by Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly that operates the Central Asia-Center-IV pipeline that links Dowletabat to Russia via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
There was no immediate confirmation from Gazprom.
Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry warned on June 29, after a suspension of talks on gas deliveries to Russia, that supplies would be cut off in September if Moscow and Ashgabat fail to reach a new import deal.
The Soviet-era Central Asia-Center-IV pipeline has an annual capacity of 44 billion cubic meters, and Gazprom has reportedly said that it wants to nearly double that.
Russia relies more and more on Turkmen gas to meet demand from third countries.
(Interfax, AFP)
Turkmenistan In The Middle
Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov (right) meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko in Ashgabat in March 2005
PLAYING BOTH SIDES: The Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute is testing Turkmenistan's self-declared policy of neutrality. Along with Russia, Turkmenistan is one of Ukraine's two biggest gas suppliers. Throughout the crisis, Ukraine suggested it could turn to Turkmenistan to make up any losses of Russian gas supplies. That puts Turkmenistan in a difficult position as it seeks to balance its relations with two capitals: Moscow and Kyiv...(more)
RELATED ARTICLES
Ukraine Signs Gas Deal With Turkmenistan
Kyiv Secures Turkmen Gas Supplies For 2006
Ukraine, Russia Spar Over Turkmen Gas
ARCHIVE
An archive of all of RFE/RL's coverage of Turkmenistan.
