Russian, Turkmen presidents to discuss gas, transport.

TURMENBASHI, October 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Visiting Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev will discuss gas and transport cooperation with his
Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov on Friday in the city of
Turkmenbasi on the Caspian Sea coast.
Russia is a major buyer of Turkmen gas and the Turkmengaz State
Corporation said over 7.8 billion cubic meters were supplied to Russia in
nine months of the year and deliveries will reach 12 billion by year-end.
A week before Medvedev's visit Turkmenia completed the construction of
a 200-kilometer long pipeline that connected gas fields in Central Karakum
to the Ilyaly compressor station on the Central-Asia - Center gas pipeline
going to Russia.
"The pipeline will increase the possibility of gas supplies to
Russia," Berdymukhamedov said and stressed "strategic character of
mutually beneficial partnership in the energy sphere between the two
countries."
Turkmen government press service said on the eve of Medvedev's visit
the construction of the Caspian gas pipeline also offers major prospects.
The pipeline is to run from the Caspian Sea coast of Turkmenia to
Russia via Kazakhstan.
The press service said ferry service expansion between the sea ports
of Turkmenbashi and Olya in Russia is of major significance.
Turkmenbashi, former Krasnovodsk, is located on the coast of the
Caspian Sea some 650 kilometers to the west of the capital Ashkhabad.
Bilateral trade turnover (excluding gas) exceeded one billion dollars
in 2009 (577.3 million dollars in January-August).