Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov is in Iran today for an official
visit, RFE/RL's Turkmen Service reports.
Central Asian expert Steve Sabol told RFE/RL that
Berdymukhammedov's trip to Iran could be a signal for the West and Russia that
Turkmenistan is pursuing a foreign policy defined by its own interests. Sabol
said such a visit is never good from a Western perspective because it wants to
see Iran completely isolated.
He added that Turkmenistan may still attempt to develop alternative routes for
its natural gas to increase demand and thereby the price.
Turkmenistan is currently being courted by the West and Russia for its large gas
reserves.
Sabol said the notion that Iran could provide some financial and material aid to
Turkmenistan could motivate the country to export its natural gas to Iran.
Copyright (c) 2009 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
... Payvand News - 02/14/09 ... --
