EU, Turkmenistan in talks on energy cooperation

Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Sept 3 /Trend H.Hasanov/

A delegation of the European Union, led by the acting director of the General Department of Energy EU Jean-Arnold Vinois is in Ashgabat, the Turkmen government said on Monday.

The delegation was received at an official level. During the meeting, the sides discussed prospects of cooperation in the energy sphere.

The parties stressed that 'mutual interest in expanding cooperation in this important area is due to both the ever-increasing needs of the EU member states in energy and Turkmenistan's strategy of diversifying its energy output to world markets providing the establishment of multiple pipeline infrastructure', the information said.

Attention was also drawn to the need to continue working together to build a reliable and robust legal framework for cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union on the international energy markets.

Corresponding negotiations began in May 2008 after the signing of the Turkmenistan-EU Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the energy field which 'virtually defined the new - the European vector of Turkmenistan's energy strategy which has hydrocarbon resources of global importance'.

A significant step towards the development of a mechanism for delivery of Turkmen gas to Europe was the official visit of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to Turkmenistan in January 2011.

A high level working group was created as part of the practical implementation of the agreements reached in order to provide a legal framework defining basic principles and conditions for long term cooperation in the energy sector which included government officials of all stakeholders - producers, transit countries and consumers.

'Currently several rounds of negotiations were held within the body of the group', the information stated.

Earlier it was reported that Barroso invited the Turkmen leader to visitthe EU headquarters in Brussels. Dates of the visit will be agreed through diplomatic channels.

Ashgabat is in talks with the EU and Azerbaijan on the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline to supply gas to Europe.

Brussels submitted a mandate to start negotiations on the preparation of an agreement between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian project last year.