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EU may hold trilateral meeting on Trans-Caspian pipeline in coming months

Oil&Gas Materials 23 October 2014 16:47 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 23
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:

The European Commission plans to hold a trilateral format meeting between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project in the coming months, a a source with the Energy Department of the European Commission told Trend.
"Together with the respective counterparts the European Commission is looking into the possibility of holding a meeting in the trilateral format in the coming months," the source said, without specifying the exact date.

The Trans-Caspian pipeline project envisages the laying of around 300 kilometers long gas pipeline under the Caspian to the shores of Azerbaijan. Further fuel can be transported to Turkey which has mutual borders with European countries.

The project is regarded as the optimal option for delivering Turkmen resources to European markets. In June 2013, a framework agreement on cooperation in deliveries of Turkmen natural gas to Turkey and further to Europe was signed between the governments of Turkmenistan and Turkey.

The negotiations between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline began in September 2011. However Russia and Iran have always spoken against the Trans-Caspian pipeline due to ecological issues during the pipeline's construction. The unresolved status of the Caspian Sea has been regarded as the main factor hindering the implementation of the project.

The official position of Ashgabad regarding the project is that the consent of the countries whose territories are involved into the project is enough to build a pipeline. Azerbaijan has repeatedly expressed readiness to provide its territory, transit facilities and infrastructure for realizing the project.

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