Russia's Sechin says welcomes Dudley as new BP CEO

MOSCOW, July 27 (Reuters) - Russia's top energy official Igor Sechin said on Tuesday he welcomes Robert Dudley's nomination as the new chief of BP (BP.L) as he valued him as a top professional with vast experience in Russia.

"We have developed good and warm relations during his time in Russia. He knows the Russian market well," Sechin said through his spokesman.

Dudley had to leave Russia in 2008 as part of BP's dispute with its billionaire partners in the TNK-BP TNBPI.RTS venture. BP accused its partners of using administrative resources and connections with Russian authorities to win the upper hand in the dispute.

(Reporting by Katya Golubkova, writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov)