Άρθρο
DowJones Newswires Στα Αγγλικά
The European Union is in talks with Azerbaijan on providing gas to
supply a key pipeline aimed at reducing Europe's dependence on Russian
supplies, the bloc's energy chief said Tuesday.
"It is important for us to diversify gas routes to Europe. We are interested in deliveries of Azerbaijani gas and negotiations on this are ongoing," E.U. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told a gas conference in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
Azerbaijan is seen as a crucial potential provider for the Nabucco pipeline, a 3,300-kilometer pipeline between Turkey and Austria scheduled to be completed by 2014.
The pipeline is aimed at reducing European reliance on Russian gas supplied through Ukraine - a route that has seen chronic interruptions amid payment disputes between Moscow and Kiev.
Piebalgs said that the signing of a milestone accord on the pipeline between Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey in July had left no doubts about the E.U.'s commitment to the much delayed, EUR7.9-billion project.
"All of the political sides of this question have been resolved and now only commercial questions remain," he said.
He said the E.U. was also seeking to cooperate with Central Asian states, including gas-rich Turkmenistan, in supplying Nabucco.
The head of Azerbaijani state energy firm SOCAR, Rovnag Abdullayev, told the conference his country was keen to work out a deal on gas supplies with E.U. states.
"The political aspects are already behind us and now the priority is commercial questions," he said. "We are conducting commercial negotiations with participants in the Nabucco project and hope that these negotiations will end successfully."
EU Seeks Azerbaijani Gas For Key Nabucco Pipeline
dj
Τρίτη, 15 Σεπτεμβρίου 2009
Αποστολή με e-mail
Εκτύπωση άρθρου
Μέγεθος κειμένου
The European Union is in talks with Azerbaijan on providing gas to
supply a key pipeline aimed at reducing Europe's dependence on Russian
supplies, the bloc's energy chief said Tuesday. "It is important for us to diversify gas routes to Europe. We are interested in deliveries of Azerbaijani gas and negotiations on this are ongoing," E.U. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told a gas conference in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
Azerbaijan is seen as a crucial potential provider for the Nabucco pipeline, a 3,300-kilometer pipeline between Turkey and Austria scheduled to be completed by 2014.
The pipeline is aimed at reducing European reliance on Russian gas supplied through Ukraine - a route that has seen chronic interruptions amid payment disputes between Moscow and Kiev.
Piebalgs said that the signing of a milestone accord on the pipeline between Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey in July had left no doubts about the E.U.'s commitment to the much delayed, EUR7.9-billion project.
"All of the political sides of this question have been resolved and now only commercial questions remain," he said.
He said the E.U. was also seeking to cooperate with Central Asian states, including gas-rich Turkmenistan, in supplying Nabucco.
The head of Azerbaijani state energy firm SOCAR, Rovnag Abdullayev, told the conference his country was keen to work out a deal on gas supplies with E.U. states.
"The political aspects are already behind us and now the priority is commercial questions," he said. "We are conducting commercial negotiations with participants in the Nabucco project and hope that these negotiations will end successfully."
