Gasprom to increase natural gas purchasing in central Asia

The Russian state controlled company Gazprom plans to purchase a further 2% of gas in central Asia in 2011 in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In 2010, Russia decreased its volume of purchasing natural gas from Turkmenistan. Therefore this country was forced to diversify its exports. Today, Turkmen gas flows to China via Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and also to Iran. In December last year, a new pipeline began its construction which should transport Turkmen gas to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is likely that this new venture will give Russia the impetus to increase its volume of purchase of central Asian natural gas.