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A pipeline supplying Russia with natural gas from Turkmenistan will be upgraded to increase its carrying capacity to 83 billion cubic meters of gas per year, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimukhammedov told a gathering of Commonwealth of Independent States leaders in Ashgabat on Nov. 22.
At first glance, Berdimukhammedov’s announcement seems like a logical move for the Central Asian country, given that Russia is Turkmenistan’s primary natural gas export market. On closer inspection, however, this is just another effort by the Turkmen leader to string Russia along — for as long as it can — until a better option comes his way.
Indeed, two options literally are on their way — new pipelines coming from China and Europe — and Berdimukhammedov seems prepared to ditch the Russians as soon as a feasible opportunity presents itself, and thus move his country out from beneath Moscow’s thumb as soon as he possibly can.
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