Turkmenistan’s former president says diversifying the gas exports to Turkmenistan is a 'primary objective'

According to the transcript of a Sunday interview, former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov stated that his country's 'primary goal' was to diversify its exports of its massive gas reserves. The fourth largest in the world.

Turkmenistan, a?mostly desert? country of 7 million people, has been limited in its gas exports by the lack of pipeline infrastructure. The majority of Turkmenistan's gas exports go to China.

Berdymukhamedov was president of Turkmenistan from 2007 until 2022. He then stepped down to be replaced by his son Serdar. He is still influential in his role as "National Leader" of Turkmenistan.

Berdymukhamedov, in an interview with Saudi television Al Arabiya, published by Turkmen?media, said that international companies are welcome to take part in the TAPI project. The pipeline would 'carry the gas from the country to energy-hungry countries in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Turkmenistan states that it will complete the first leg of pipeline to the Afghan city Herat around the end 2026. There are no plans to extend the pipeline south.

Berdymukhamedov, who said the project is supported by the United States, would have to overcome the long-standing tensions that exist between Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. In the last year, lethal battles broke out along the countries' shared border.

Berdymukhamedov said that Turkmenistan supports the proposed Trans-Caspian Pipeline which would transport the country's natural gas to Europe through the Caspian Sea. He also stated that Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey support the project, but Azerbaijan must resolve the issues with regards to the delimitation the Caspian Seabed before any work can be started.

The former 'president' was speaking on a?visit to the U.S. which has been courting the Central Asian countries in recent months, where Russia and China traditionally have enjoyed the primacy.

(source: Reuters)