SOCAR: Trans-Caspian gas pipeline will be a very ambitious project for EU

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 12 / Trend A.Akhundov / Azerbaijan will only benefit from transportation of gas through the Trans-Caspian pipeline. This was stated on Tuesday by Vice President of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) on investments and marketing, Elshad Nasirov, at a meeting of the committee on energy security of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) "Euronest". According to him, implementation of the Trans-Caspian project will be possible as soon as Turkmenistan and partners from the European Union (EU) agree on the sales. "Our Caspian fleet is capable of completion of construction of 100 kilometers of pipeline across the Caspian Sea in about a year," Nasirov said. According to him, when all three segments, including Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline and gas transport route to Europe are ready and it is possible for all companies to negotiate with Turkmenistan, project parties will increase the capacity of all three sections in a year and a half. "Implementation of this project will make Azerbaijan not only a supplier of gas, but a transit country. This is a very ambitious project for the EU," Nasirov said. According to him, Azerbaijan has the obligation to transport the East Caspian gas through its territory for average European rates, taking into account transportation and other aspects. "There could be no discussions and questions concerning this issue," Nasirov said. Trans-Caspian gas pipeline with nearly 300 kilometers length will be laid from the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijani coast. Negotiations on the construction of the pipeline between Turkmenistan, the EU and other countries have been held since the late 1990s. The negotiation process has been intensified after the European Union delivered a mandate to start negotiations on the preparation of an agreement between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian project in September 2011. However, Iran and Russia later expressed their negative attitude towards the project. Tehran and Moscow think the pipeline construction may damage the Caspian Sea's ecology. Earlier, Azerbaijani Minister of Industry and Energy, Natig Aliyev said that two documents as part of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project are at finalization stage and must be signed at the level of heads of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and the European Commission, as well as by the two littoral states. The first document to be signed by the heads of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, marks the support for this corridor by the three parties. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az