Turkmen leader to discuss Nabucco in Turkey

ALMATY, March 21 (Reuters) - Turkmen leader Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will discuss the project of building a natural gas pipeline bypassing Russia with the government of Turkey, a source in the Turkmen government told Reuters on Friday.

Turkmenistan, Central Asia's largest gas producer, exports most of its gas through Russia but the European Union is lobbying for it to use an alternative route.

The West particularly wants Turkmenistan, which borders Iran, to join the U.S-backed Nabucco pipeline project, designed to help Europe diversify gas imports away from Russia.

A government official who asked not to be named said Berdymukhamedov would discuss the project during his visit to Turkey on March 24-25.

"The Transcaspian pipeline or, if you prefer, Nabucco is on the agenda," the official said.

"But within this visit the discussion will probably be limited to an exchange of opinions."

The official said Turkmenistan was ready to consider any viable export routes.

"We are pragmatic," he said.

Turkmenistan sells all of its exported gas to Russian gas monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM), but is considering other options such as Nabucco and a pipeline to China. (Reporting by Marat Gurt; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; editing by James Jukwey)