Russia Launches Turkmen Ties Repair

摘要

Russia is launching a damage limitation exercise to claw back some of its influence in former Soviet ally Turkmenistan, just days after the launch of a massive gas pipeline to transport Turkmen gas to China. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's righthand man, Igor Sechin, visited Ashkhabad on Dec. 15, and President Dmitry Medvedev is to fly in on Dec. 22. According to the official Turkmen media, Sechin conveyed Putin's "keen interest in expanding and intensifying the fruitful dialogue with Turkmenistan."