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MOSCOW, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - Turkmenistan intends to expand energy supplies to the east and Europe, President Saparmurat Niyazov said Monday at talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
The Turkmen leader said the move was "in the interests of peace and energy security."
Turkmenistan also intends to cooperate with Russia in major energy projects, including natural gas supply, developing gas deposits, and exporting Turkmen energy, Niyazov said.
Russia's gas pipelines are key to Turkmenistan's energy exports. Turkmen gas makes up the bulk of the Central Asian supplies being delivered through Russia to Ukraine, under a deal signed by Kiev early this month with Russia's Gazprom.