Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan talk energy export routes

ASHGABAT, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev told Turkmen officials on Tuesday the two countries should take advantage of "beneficial" energy prices, a move that could upset the traditional buyer of its resources, Russia.

Nazarbayev also hinted that construction could soon begin of the U.S.-backed trans-Caspian pipeline, which would bypass Russia and take 30 billion cubic metres a year of Turkmen gas along the seabed to Azerbaijan and overland to Europe.

The pipeline is scheduled to come on stream in 2010-2011.

Analysts have said Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM) might oppose the project as it would pose a threat to Russia's monopoly on Central Asian gas exports to Europe.

Nazarbayev is visiting Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in the Turkmen capital Ashgabat for two days.

Meetings between the Kazakh leader and the previous Turkmen president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died in December, were rare.

"The energy issue is one of great global importance. Everyone is looking for an alternative to a single source," Nazarbayev told a news conference with Berdymukhamedov.

"We have a common interest: to sell our energy resources on the international market and sell at prices which are beneficial and will help the development of our nations and people in the future."

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