Russia has Turkmen and Kazakh agreement to build an oil pipeline through its territory for hydrocarbon riches from the Caspian Sea, it was widely reported at the weekend.

The support ridicules U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney’s efforts to find support in the Central Asian countries for pipeline routes that bypass Russia.

An alternate route championed by Cheney runs across delicate, Caspian Sea ecosystems.

The deal struck by Russia will send 10 billion cubic feet of gas into Russia’s distribution network and on into Europe.

Kazhakhstan already sends four-fifhs of its 53 million tonnes of yearly oil exports through the Russian route north of Caspian for export.