Turkmenistan, China to discuss gas pipeline launch.

24/6 Tass 13

ASHGABAT, June 24 (Itar-Tass) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov and Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang will discuss the
issues pertaining to the launch of the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline on
Wednesday, the press service of the Central Asian republic's government
said.

Stronger cooperation in the fuel and energy sphere will top the agenda
of the talks, the source said.
After the talks Berdymukhamedov and Li Keqiang plan to sign a package
of agreements that will give a fresh impetus to the interstate dialogue
that is built on the principles of friendship, mutual respect and
confidence, the press service said.
In early June Beijing and Ashgabat agreed on China's disbursement of a
3-billion-dollar loan for exploration of Turkmenistan's biggest gas field
South Yolotan. Its estimated reserves range from 6 trillion to 14 trillion
cubic meters.
Under the intergovernmental agreement on the pipeline's construction
that was signed back in April 2006 the pipeline should be launched in
2009. In July 2007 Turkmengaz and China National Petroleum Corporation
sealed a deal on purchase and sale of gas. Then Ashgabat obliged to
annually supply 30 billion cubic meters of gas to China.
Turkmenistan put forward its proposal for increasing annual supply to
40 billion cubic meters during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to
Ashgabat last August.

-0-isk/gor