Friday, August 5, 2011

EU awaiting guarantees from Ashgabat gas; Nabucco Intoxication Wearing-Off....

Turkmenistan, gas, EU, Iran / Caspian gas will become an alternative to Russia for Europeans.  Photo PhotoXPress.ru
Caspian gas will become an alternative for European Russia.

The desire to provide the Old World Gas announced Tehran....

The European Union supports the plan to diversify gas export routes Turkmenistan. On this Wednesday in Ashgabat after talks with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said EU Special Representative for Central Asia and Georgia Pierre Morel. However, experts suggest not to give undue importance to the agreements reached – Turkmenistan energy cooperation with the West is largely theoretical, based on the promises and declarations.

Turkmenistan’s position is crucial for the Europeans, because it affects the project Nabucco. Brussels in the relations with Turkmenistan intends to move from generalities to clear agreements as to the end of this year, plans to sign contracts for the supply of gas for this pipeline.

Pierre Morel was necessary to obtain a firm agreement of the Turkmen president to the upcoming negotiations on signing gas agreement between the EU, on the one hand, and Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan – on the other.According to the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza, talks will be held in September in Warsaw. This is the time in the EU must have a clear idea about the possibilities of suppliers of hydrocarbons, the main ones are Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

According to the press service of the Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Pierre Morel, “noted a mutual interest in cooperation in the energy sector, due to both increasing demands for energy in Europe, and the position of Turkmenistan, surely realizing the strategy to create a multiboot system output of its energy resources to world markets “.

The first step in this direction was taken last month – June 8, in the Turkish city of Kayseri has been signed an agreement to support the Nabucco project between the consortium and the relevant ministries NGPGH five transit countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey. According to the project, the length of the pipeline is 3900 kilometers, and its capacity – 31 billion cubic meters of gas per year. In this changed and the cost of the project – to an estimated 7.9 billion euro cost will increase by almost half. And it probably is not the limit. The situation is compounded by the fact that Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, regarded as the principal suppliers of gas, do not rush to sign agreements, while not opposed to export their hydrocarbons to Europe.

“The main reason for Baku and Ashgabat are still pulling the signing of agreements on Nabucco, in the absence of distinct marketing. Until now, buyers of gas not decided on a specific price, not articulated clearly the conditions of transit. Turkey previously stated intentions to become not just a transit country, and reseller of gas. In addition, Azerbaijan demanded a higher price for their gas than consumers were willing to pay, “- said,” NG “Azeri political scientist Ilgar Velizadeh. According to him, the prospects for transit of Azerbaijani gas have become more or less realistic shape after the signing of documents between Azerbaijan and Turkey for the price and volume purchases of gas from Turkey, “Shah-Deniz-2″, the active exploitation of which will begin in 2016-2017. The expert considers that these arrangements can serve only as a guide for future negotiations between Europe and Azerbaijan on the project Nabucco, but not much else, as “Shah-Deniz-2″ requires a serious investment, valued at about $ 22 billion Questions associated with the development of this field will be considered at the next meeting of the joint Turkish-Azerbaijani commission. This was last Wednesday in Baku agreed to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Another reason why there is still no concrete agreement on Nabucco, – a political one. It’s no secret that the project is very politicized. Since its implementation in Russia largely lost the initiative in the strategic issues of regional policy. Open to go against Moscow’s interests in the unresolved Karabakh conflict, Baku, while there are chances for a peaceful settlement, not ready “- said Velizadeh.

That unwillingness to spoil relations with Moscow, some experts explain the slowness of Turkmenistan. In addition, the unresolved question of the status of the Caspian Sea creates political obstacles to the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline (at the bottom of the reservoir) – against laying pipes are Russia and Iran. ”Besides, I would not say that the diversification of supply routes Turkmenistan hydrocarbons to international markets to solve the main problem in Ashgabat – the country will remain in the resource dependency. In this context, the choice of partners between the rapidly developing China and geographically distant Europe narrows to Ashgabat for maneuver, “- said,” NG “director of the Center of the CIS Institute of Contemporary International Studies, Sergei Inhabitants. Well, that Morel was able to negotiate with Berdymukhamedov, new to a large extent there is nothing, as Ashgabat is not the first by tradition to any proposals to export its gas, agreed.

Meanwhile, the desire to provide the Old World Gas announced Tehran. The other day Iran, Iraq and Syria signed a preliminary agreement to build a gas pipeline from Iran’s South Pars field. Its length is 5 thousand miles, and the cost – $ 10 billion project participants consider as a market European countries, where the Iranian gas will go through the territory of Lebanon and the Mediterranean region....

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