The EU's
energy commissioner has reiterated Azerbaijan's
importance to Europe both as a supplier of
energy and a transit country.
The head of the EU office
in Azerbaijan, Ambassador
Roland Kobia, read out a message from Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger at
the Gas Infrastructure World 2011 conference in Baku on Wednesday.
"Europe’s cooperation with
the Caspian region, especially with Azerbaijan, is deepening. Europe needs more natural gas from more sources and the
Caspian region can help us to solve this challenge," Oettinger says in his
message.
Europe has now more
interest in gas following the tragic events at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the message
continues.
"Therefore Europe needs alternative sources of supply. At the
moment, Europe receives natural gas from Norway,
Russia and Algeria. However,
we want to create new alternative routes, and the Caspian region is important
from this viewpoint. We plan to supply 90 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe
via the Southern Corridor," the commissioner says, referring to routes for
gas supplies to Europe that will bypass Russia.
"Azerbaijan will
be a gas producer, as well as a transit country. We therefore consider the
country as the key contributor to the Southern Corridor project."
The message notes that the
Caspian region has more gas reserves than Russia.
Regarding Turkmenistan,
Oettinger says the country has large gas reserves, but lacks an economically
viable route to export these reserves. However, the situation may change.
"Europe
attaches great importance to the Trans Caspian pipeline, which will allow the
delivery of Turkmen gas to European markets," the commissioner says in his
message. "Europe is committed to working
with all partners in the Caspian region with a view to realizing the Southern
Gas Corridor."
"We will further work
to strengthen and develop the Southern Corridor."