Azerbaijan, Baku, June 8 / Trend A.Badalova /
The United States is interested in an economically strong Europe, and therefore attaches great importance to European energy security, US State Department Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Richard Morningstar said on Wednesday at the 18th International Caspian Oil and Gas, Refining & Petrochemicals Exhibition and Conference in Baku.
"Europe is our partner and we therefore attach great importance to regional energy security", Mornigstar said.
He said the best way to achieve energy security is through diversification of transportation sources and routes.
Recent developments in North African countries, as well as in Japan, showed that the global market is changing and that all countries should have a balanced and diversified energy strategy.
Mornigstar also stressed that the U.S. wishes for Caspian states, particularly Azerbaijan and Central Asian states, to found new markets for their gas and promote the economic growth and prosperity of these countries.
"These countries must make an independent choice about the use of their resources," Mornigstar said.
He said that gas produced from the second stage of development of the Shah Deniz field will be the first available volume for transportation by the Southern Energy Corridor.
Mornigstar also expressed confidence that the Azerbaijan -Turkey gas transit agreement will be signed shortly.
As for Russia, Mornigstar said that the country is and will remain an important supplier of oil and gas.
The Southern Corridor is a priority EU energy project which will diversify energy supply routes and sources, and increase EU energy security. The Southern Corridor includes the Nabucco gas pipeline, Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), White Stream, and ITGI (Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline).