MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. The development of a gas pipeline route from Russia through Kazakhstan to China has begun, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"This process, so to speak, has been launched. They are currently conducting calculations, a feasibility study, and negotiations are underway," he said.

The capacity of the new gas pipeline should be 45 billion cubic meters per year, the Deputy Prime Minister added. This includes 10 billion cubic meters that will be used for the development of gas supply network in northeastern regions of Kazakhstan.

Earlier, Novak said that Russia and China are currently considering a new gas route through Kazakhstan to supply 35 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The development of this route is at an early stage, it may pass through eastern Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev stated that Kazakhstan and Russia, as part of negotiations on the development of gas supply network in Kazakhstan, have resolved almost all issues related to the possibility of supplying Russian gas to the republic.