Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Nov. 17
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
Along with the preservation of traditional partnership relations in the energy sphere, Turkmenistan has great partnership prospects with the EU in the sphere of Turkmen natural gas supplies to Europe, Muhamentnur Halylov, the Turkmen Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, said at the OGT 2015 - Turkmenistan International Oil & Gas Exhibition.
At present, Turkmenistan exports its gas to Russia, China and Iran.
Ashgabat hosted a four-party meeting with the heads of energy departments of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the representatives of the European Commission in May 2015. The priorities of diversifying the routes for supplying the energy resources to the world markets, as well as in the European direction were discussed there.
All this envisages the creation of a joint multi-variant pipeline infrastructure. A declaration on the development of cooperation among Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the European Union was coordinated in this area.
A 300-kilometer-gas pipeline is planned to be laid through the Caspian Sea to create the infrastructure on the shores of Azerbaijan. The legal status of the Caspian Sea will be determined by the Caspian countries.
The EU wanted to reduce its dependence on Russian gas supplies long ago.
The Southern Gas Corridor, including the Trans-Caspian project, and is a priority for Brussels. The EU hopes to receive Turkmen gas in 2019.
Ashgabat believes that the consent of the sides, covered by the project, that is, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, is sufficient for laying the pipe through the bottom of the Caspian Sea, the legal status of which has not been defined.
Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to deliver its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for implementing the project.