China's 'unique project' will diversify exports

Ashgabat: Central Asia welcomed China's foray into their energy-rich region on Sunday as Chinese leader Hu Jintao prepared to open a new pipeline connecting a Turkmen gas field with China's restive Xinjiang region.

Leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan assembled in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat yesterday to greet Hu on the eve of a ceremony to commission the 1,833-km pipeline that snakes across Central Asia via their countries.

The pipeline marks a new stage in China's involvement in the former Soviet region and represents a snub to Russia which still sees the mainly Muslim region as part of its traditional sphere of influence.

Speaking ahead of Hu's arrival, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said the pipeline was a key step towards diversifying energy exports from Central Asia.

"The geopolitical map is changing ... and Turkmenistan's role will only grow," Karimov, in power since 1989, said.

"This will help diversify exports of Turkmen energy to the global markets."

Speaking alongside Karimov, Turkmen Presid-ent Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov described it as a "unique" project.

Reliable

"It forms reliable infrastructure and this route will be used to deliver large quantities of gas to China. ... This will increase energy security," he said. Hu and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev were due to arrive later in the day.

Central Asia, home to some of the world's biggest oil, gas and metals reserves, is at the centre of a geopolitical tug-of-war between China, Russia and the West, all seeking to grab a share of its untapped riches.

The pipeline, starting near a Turkmen gas field developed by China's CNPC, is Central Asia's biggest export route that reaches markets outside Russia and fully bypasses it territory.