Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 26
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
Turkmenistan has great prospects for partnership with the EU in the Turkmen gas supply to Europe, said Myratgeldi Meredov, Turkmen oil and gas minister.
Meredov made this statement at the 7th International Gas Congress held in Avaza national tourist zone May 20-21.
Meredov said that for this purpose, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and the EU agreed on a declaration on the development of cooperation in the field of energy.
A meeting was held with the participation of energy ministers of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and representatives of the European Commission in Ashgabat about a year ago.
The priorities on diversification of the routes for supplying energy resources to the world markets, as well as in the European direction, envisaging the creation of a joint multi-variant pipeline infrastructure were discussed at the meeting.
Turkmenistan, which ranks fourth in the world on biggest gas reserves, is one of the key players on the energy market in the Caspian region and Central Asia.
"I would like to stress that a powerful resource base gives grounds to conclude long-term contracts on stable supply of energy resources," Meredov said, adding that at present, Turkmenistan exports its gas to China and Iran.
The minister added that the East-West gas pipeline will play a role in ensuring the stability and reliability of Turkmen gas supply to the international markets.
"It is possible to supply gas both in eastern and perspective western directions via the East-West gas pipeline, constructed in December 2015," the minister said, adding that this will further strengthen the guarantees of security and reliability of energy supplies to the international markets."
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 yet been defined.
Azerbaijan expressed its readiness to deliver its territory, transit opportunities and infrastructure for implementing the project.