Tokayev urges EU to support long-term Kazakh oil supply to Europe via CPC

ASTANA. June 2 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has urged his country's EU partners to support maintaining the long-term, stable supply of Kazakh oil to Europe via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's facilities.

"Currently, 80% of Kazakh oil exported to Europe is transported via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Based on [our] common interests, we look forward to further support from the European Union in maintaining a long-term, stable supply through this strategic pipeline," Tokayev said at the Central Asia-European Union summit in Cholpon-Ata on Friday.

Kazakhstan plans to increase oil exports via the Aktau-Batumi route in the medium term, he said.

"We plan to increase oil exports via the Aktau-Batumi route, along with supplies through Trans-Caspian pipelines," Tokayev said.

Kazakhstan has reached agreement with its Azerbaijani partners to develop the Trans-Caspian route, he said.

"For example, the supply of Kazakh oil via the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route began at the start of this year, at an annual amount of 1.5 million tonnes," Tokayev said.