Turkish President Abdullah Gul has sent a message of congratulations to his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the inauguration of the Turkmenistan - China gas pipeline. The message was published today in the Turkmen press.

"Turkey supports the policy of friendly and brotherly Turkmenistan on diversification of energy transportation routes. I am confident that by pursuing this policy Turkmenistan with its abundant resources will make a significant contribution to gas transit to Turkey and through Turkey to the West," the message said.

"There is no doubt that the Turkmenistan - China gas pipeline that took energy cooperation between Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China to a new level will also have a positive impact on regional development and stability," Abdullah Gul said.