Turkmenistan plans to increase gas production by 60 billion cubic meters in the near future. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, speaking at a briefing following the trilateral summit of the heads of Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, held in Ashgabat.

According to R. Meredov, Turkmenistan has huge natural gas resources and diversification of export gas supplies, while maintaining a balance of interests of the producer, transit country and consumer of energy, are the basic principles for Ashgabat in the implementation of international energy projects.

«It is in this context that the Turkmen side today proposed to consider the prospects for a strategic partnership in the gas industry between Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan», –the head of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry emphasized.

According to the head of the country's Foreign Ministry, in accordance with the long-term national programs for the socio-economic development of Turkmenistan, large-scale work is currently underway on the development of the third and fourth stages of the world's largest natural gas field, «Galkynysh», on behalf of the President of the country.

«In this regard, in the coming years, it is planned to increase the volume of natural gas production in Turkmenistan by at least an additional 60 billion cubic meters. This will provide us with the opportunity to fully meet both the growing domestic demand for natural gas and increase the volume of supplies of Turkmen natural gas abroad. At the same time, the unconditional priority will be the supply of Turkmen gas to its closest neighbors - Uzbekistan and Tajikistan», –said the head of the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.