EU starts negotiations on building trans-Caspian pipeline to Europe
BRUSSELS. Sept 12 (Interfax) - The European Union has approved negotiations with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the construction of the trans-Caspian pipeline, the European Commission said on Monday.
Europe speaks one voice, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said. In his words, this pipeline is an extremely important southern corridor, which will bring gas from new sources to Europe, and Europe is determined to implement it as soon as possible.
This is the first time the European Commission is offering an agreement in support of the infrastructural project. The agreement will be signed by the EU after its approval by all the 27 member states on whose behalf the European Commission will hold the negotiations, the report said.
The decision is a direct result from a visit of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Oettinber to Baku and Ashgabat in January 2011 and their negotiations with the administrations of both countries, the report said.
The European Commission says this is a landmark event in the fulfillment of the southern corridor project and the first practical decision made in the coordination of the common energy strategy declared at the European Commission's report on the EU energy policy and relations with foreign partners on September 7.
The agreement will be the foundation of the construction of a gas pipeline to link Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan and connect to the infrastructure supplying gas to Europe, the report said.