The protocol on ending dual citizenship of Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation was published in the Turkmen media. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov signed the measure on 10 April during the latter\'s state visit to Moscow. At the time, Putin said dual citizenship is no longer needed because those ethnic Russians who wanted to leave Turkmenistan have already done so. Since this remark is so widely at variance with the actual situation, it appears possible that Putin\'s agreement was demanded by Niyazov as part of the price for a long-term contract on the sale of Turkmen gas to Russia that the Russian side has been trying to obtain for several years. Niyazov presumably saw the ending of dual citizenship as a security measure. Not only have many ethnic Russians obtained Russian passports, but representatives of other nationalities – including ethnic Turkmen -- have acquired them as insurance that they could leave the country. Officials at the Russian Embassy in Ashgabat have said it would take years to process all the outstanding applications for Russian passports. (turkmenistan.ru)