LOC00:35
21:35 GMT
TEHRAN, Dec 31 (KUNA) -- Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed on maintaining the gas deal for further five years by which Turkmenistan will resume the flow of its gas into the Iranian market.
In a press statement Saturday, Iran's Assistant Oil Minister Hamid Reza Al-Iraqi said the two sides discussed implementing the deal so as to provide Tehran with natural gas, and cooperation strategies of their two gas companies.
He added that the two oil companies are set to meet during the next two months so as to discuss some disputing points to announce the final results.
He affirmed that the bilateral relations are based on the principle of good neighborliness.
On Friday, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that his country inked a memorandum of understanding with Turkmenistan to resume the flow of Turkmen natural gas into Iran.
In a press statement, Zanganeh said that there is no need to refer to the dispute over Turkmen natural gas exports to an international court.
Turkmenistan is seeking payment for USD 1.8 billion it says it is owed for fuel it supplied in the cold winter of 2007آ08. (end)
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