Gazprom opens office in Turkmenistan

The Board of the Russian gas giant, Gazprom, has decided to open an office in Turkmenistan, says a Gazprom press release.

Gathering for a session, members of the Board pointed out that the opening of a representative office will raise the effectiveness of the holding's interaction with the state authorities, enterprises and organisations of Turkmenistan in an effort to realise the 25-year Agreement on Co-operation in the Gas Sphere, which Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkmen counterpart Saparmurat Niyazov had signed in April 2003. Back then, they had chosen Gazprom and Turkmenneftegaz the companies responsible for its implementation.

The Agreement stipulates that in 2004, Gazeksport /a branch establishment of Gazprom's/ must purchase 5-6 billion cubic meters of gas from Turkmenneftegaz. The amount of gas purchased must rise to 6-7 billion cubic meters in 2005, up to 10 billion in 2006, 60-70 billion in 2007, and 63-73 billion in 2008. Beginning with 2009, annual deliveries of Turkmen gas to Russia must be raised to 70-80 cubic meters.

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