Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Feb. 21 / Trend , R.Mashadihasanli/
Turkey appreciates the Nabucco pipeline project to supply Central Asian gas to the EU.
"Turkey sees itself as the centerpiece of the project [Nabucco]," Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler told Trend . Guler is visiting Kyrgyzstan.
Europe is experiencing a gas deficit and is interested in the Turkey-brokered Nabucco project, he said.
Guler said Turkey plays the role of a bridge between consumers and energy suppliers, and implements its geopolitical role through energy projects.
"Seventy percent of the world's oil-and-gas fields are located east of Turkey. The West is mainly an energy consumer. Turkey is a bridge between consumer and supplier countries," Guler said.
The Nabucco project worth $12.4 billion will deliver Azerbaijani and Central Asian gas to the EU. Its maximum capacity will be 31 billion cubic meters per year. Nabucco shareholders are the Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE with 16.7 percent each. Construction of the pipeline is expected to commence in 2010. First gas supplies will be delivered in 2014.
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