Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.11
By Ilaha Mammadli - Trend:
Turkey finally did what all significant forces concentrated in the region expected from it. Noting the importance of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) project for Turkey, the country's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that it is more significant for his country than Russia's gas proposals.
Turkey made it clear that the Southern Gas Corridor remains a priority project and took time to reassure everyone: producers, consumers, suppliers, as well as transit countries and this statement is especially important for Georgia which will play a transit role for the Southern Gas Corridor.
It is clear that despite the lack of statements by high-ranking Turkish officials, the implementation of the project wasn't stopped. Nevertheless, Cavusoglu's remarks increased the confidence of all participants of the Southern Gas Corridor project.
It is wrong to assume that Ankara refused Moscow's project. If its economic viability is proven, financing, and consumers of Russian gas are determined, Turkey will be sure to accept this project.
However, the sales market, rather than funds and technical implementation, is the biggest obstacle for Russian gas supplies. Europe is unlikely to buy the gas if its supplier is Russia.
I want to emphasize that despite all statements, the Russian project is not an alternative for TANAP. This is primarily explained by the fact that TANAP is designed for real volumes of gas from Azerbaijan. Its economic viability, as well as that of the entire Southern Gas Corridor, have been calculated.
Moreover, all volumes of Azerbaijani gas have been already reserved and distributed among buyers in Europe. In contrast, there will be as much work within the Russian project as with the Southern Gas Corridor. However, no one is sure of the success at the end of this work.
Ilaha Mammadli, deputy editor-in-chief on economics
Edited by CN