No doubt referred to the repair of the damaged pipeline

When the Russia does not conduct a war of the Ukraine gas, it is with Turkmenistan that broke out a dispute with precious fuel for issue. An incident last week, the explosion of a gas pipeline in this former Soviet Republic in Central Asia, came to remember how the Russia gas situation is sensitive and complicated relations with its neighbours. Indeed, the Russia, world number one of the gas, has paradoxically need of gas from its ally Turkmen to honour commitments monumental export (especially toward a Europe that it provides one third of the gas), of the order of 200 billion cubic metres, without neglecting its domestic market so far. Conversely, Turkmenistan, fifth exporter in the world of "blue gold", can hardly reach Western markets via Russian pipelines, because it is landlocked between Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan, it's why Turkmenistan has long sold its very cheap gas ($ 100 the 1,000 cubic meters, tariff passed to $ 150 in the second half of last year).

Reduce imports

This marriage between Moscow and Skopje does not him to listen to the songs of the sirens of the Europeans who argue for the construction of a pipeline bypassing the Russia under the Caspian Sea or the United States and China. Beijing should supplant Washington to the rank of first world importer of hydrocarbons about eight years. It may be to "raise awareness" of his Russian customer in this new order that Turkmenistan had decided Friday to accuse the semi-public Russian gas monopoly, Gazprom, to be awkwardly at the origin of the accident on the pipeline. According to the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gazprom would have reduced 90 Wednesday, without shouting station, its imports of Turkmen gas due to the sharp cuts, due to recession, sales to the Ukraine. This is the variation of pressure of gas that would have caused the explosion on the pipeline, for technical reasons that Skopje details not. Such a unilateral reduction is a "violation" of the terms of the contract, considered the Turkmen Ministry. Yesterday, he said even that his country might claim damages and interest to the Russia, in a very unusual release on the part of a State which, although geostrategic, has little real ally than Moscow. Indeed, the desert country of 5 million people of the world's poorest lived in considerable isolation from its independence in 1991, under the rule of Saparmurad Niyazov, probably one of the most grotesque dictators of the world. Niyazov had including closed hospitals in rural areas, reduces the academic curriculum in two years, changed the name of a month of the calendar in honour of his mother, and prohibits ballet and Opera. After his death in 2006, the regime has embarked on a very timid opening for to attract the good graces of the chanceries and Western investors, knowing well that it would be absurd to break with Moscow.

That is why most analysts felt this weekend that the explosion of the gas pipeline would be a subject of very short-lived friction, while the Russian daily "kommersant" has proposed the hypothesis of a new gas war on the Eastern South front of the Russia, could prejudice his reputation of reliable supplier of oil once again. The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, stated that the incident, "purely technical", would be resolved quickly. No doubt referred to the repair of the damaged pipeline.

Construction of a pipeline

But it is also understandable that Moscow is ready to return to the negotiating table with Skopje for the construction of a gas pipeline across the Caspian Sea. This project, announced in band on several occasions for two years, could once again be finalized at the meeting late March between Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymoukhamedov, and his Russian counterpart, Dimitri Medvedev. It should allow the export under rule 30 billion cubic metres of Turkmen gas Gazprom. Skopje plans to export 51 billion cubic metres this year in total.