by M K Bhadrakumar
The inauguration of the Dauletabad-Sarakhs-Khangiran pipeline on Wednesday
connecting Iran's northern Caspian region with Turkmenistan's vast gas field
may go unnoticed amid the Western media cacophony that it is "apocalypse
now" for the Islamic regime in Tehran.
The event sends strong messages for regional security. Within the space of
three weeks, Turkmenistan has committed its entire gas exports to China,
Russia and Iran. It has no urgent need of the pipelines that the United
States and the European Union have been advancing. Are we hearing the faint
notes of a Russia-China-Iran symphony?
The 182-kilometer Turkmen-Iranian pipeline starts modestly with the pumping
of 8 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Turkmen gas. But its annual capacity is
20bcm, and that would meet the energy requirements of Iran's Caspian region
and enable Tehran to free its own gas production in the southern fields for
export. The mutual interest is perfect: Ashgabat gets an assured market next
door; northern Iran can consume without fear of winter shortages; Tehran can
generate more surplus for exports; Turkmenistan can seek transportation
routes to the world market via Iran; and Iran can aspire to take advantage
of its excellent geographical location as a hub for the Turkmen exports.
We are witnessing a new pattern of energy cooperation at the regional level
that dispenses with Big Oil. . . .
FULL TEXT
[Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar was a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign
Service. His assignments included the Soviet Union, South Korea, Sri Lanka,
Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Turkey.]
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