The President of Turkmenistan did not conduct negotiations on the price of gas with Miller

The first visit of Gazprom’s head of Alexei Miller to Ashgabat did not bring new agreements this year, he can be considered a failure and from a diplomatic point of view, writes “News Time” .

For the first time in a long time, the head of the Russian gas monopolist was not adopted by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the only person making a decision on gas issues.

Ashgabat did not comment on Miller’s arrival (there was not even a message about the very fact of a meeting with the Gazprom delegation). The representative of the Russian concern claims that the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Tachberda Tagyev was due to the preliminary nature of gas negotiations since 2009 and for the long term.

The Turkmen leader on the eve of Miller's visit conducted active negotiations with alternative gas buyers . Now the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is waiting at the end of the week in St. Petersburg for an informal CIS summit. A bilateral meeting of the presidents of Russia and Turkmenistan is planned there, during which the topic of gas cooperation will be discussed.

At the negotiations in Ashgabat, according to Gazprom, it was noted that the parties were fully satisfied with the results of work on the basis of a long -term contract for the purchase of Turkmen gas. The Russian company is ready to pay for gas at the Turkmen border the price calculated on the basis of the cost of gas for Gazprom customers in the EU (minus transportation costs and the usual profit rate).

Meanwhile, President Berdimuhamedov signed a memorandum with the European Commissioner in Energy Andris Piebalgs and went to Azerbaijan to discuss the transcaspi gas pipeline. At the end of May, he accepted the assistant Secretary of State Richard Baucher, who convinced the Turkmen leader of the need for routes diversification.

In addition, on weekends in Ashgabat, negotiations were held at the price of gas with representatives of India and Pakistan as part of the technical groups for the preparation of the project of the Transafgan gas pipeline.

Gazprom purchases 42-44 billion cubic meters of gas per year in Turkmenistan. In the first half of the year, the price is $ 130 per thousand cubic meters, and from July 1, according to agreements, it will increase by $ 20. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan since next year intend to sell gas at a European price, and received the fundamental consent of the Russian concern. However, subject negotiations on this subject are just beginning.