EU, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey to form working group on Turkmen gas for EU by June
MOSCOW. May 5 (Interfax) - The European Union, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey plan to form a working group to resolve organizational, legal, commercial and technical issues concerning Turkmen gas supplies to Europe.
The makeup of the working group, which will include deputy energy ministers, and the schedule of talks for 2015, will be agreed over the course of a month, according to the declaration signed in Ashgabat on May 1 and published by the European Commission. Georgia will also be invited to the next meeting. The goal of the parties to the declaration is to prepare a framework agreement on Turkmen gas supplies to the EU.
The declaration notes that the environmental impact study for the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project, which is being prepared with support from the EU and World Bank, will be published at the end of 2015.
The declaration also backs the establishment of commercial structures to support long-term supplies of Turkmen gas to Europe. It separately addresses the initiative to create the Caspian Development Corporation and consultations with the gas companies concerning the terms of its creation and effective operation.