West drawing Armenia to Nabucco project, report claims
Europe and the United States are urging Armenia to
join the Nabucco pipeline that will pump Caspian gas to European
markets, bypassing Russia, according to Russia`s influential
Kommersant newspaper.
The publication said the reconciliation process that has begun between Turkey and Armenia, the two neighboring countries facing decades of hostility, has produced unexpected results, prompting speculation about Yerevan`s joining the Western-backed project.
``Though experts, taking into account the unstable political situation in Georgia, consider this option possible, the main obstacle on the path of Armenia`s turning into a transit state [for Nabucco] is Azerbaijan,`` Kommersant wrote. ``Baku has repeatedly stated that opening the Turkish-Armenian border does not meet its interests until the [Armenia-Azerbaijan] Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is settled. In other words, Azerbaijan will never agree with the idea of transporting its gas through Armenia until an acceptable solution is found to the Garabagh conflict.``
Sinan Oghan, the head of TURKSAM, a Turkish center dealing with international relations and strategic analysis, has told the newspaper that it is possible that the developments will unfold this way.
``When preliminary agreements were being reached on protocols covering restoration of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said his country was ready to participate in all energy projects in the South Caucasus region,`` Oghan noted. ``He did not cite the Nabucco project, but everyone understood what he was talking about. The European Union and the U.S. are to specify the Nabucco route by the end of the year. Ankara has therefore expedited the process of drafting the protocol on diplomatic ties.``
Ankara and Yerevan, on August 31, agreed to begin consultations on forging diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. The two governments announced they would complete domestic discussions over two protocols within six weeks, to be followed by their ratification in the Turkish and Armenian parliaments.
The publication said the reconciliation process that has begun between Turkey and Armenia, the two neighboring countries facing decades of hostility, has produced unexpected results, prompting speculation about Yerevan`s joining the Western-backed project.
``Though experts, taking into account the unstable political situation in Georgia, consider this option possible, the main obstacle on the path of Armenia`s turning into a transit state [for Nabucco] is Azerbaijan,`` Kommersant wrote. ``Baku has repeatedly stated that opening the Turkish-Armenian border does not meet its interests until the [Armenia-Azerbaijan] Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is settled. In other words, Azerbaijan will never agree with the idea of transporting its gas through Armenia until an acceptable solution is found to the Garabagh conflict.``
Sinan Oghan, the head of TURKSAM, a Turkish center dealing with international relations and strategic analysis, has told the newspaper that it is possible that the developments will unfold this way.
``When preliminary agreements were being reached on protocols covering restoration of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said his country was ready to participate in all energy projects in the South Caucasus region,`` Oghan noted. ``He did not cite the Nabucco project, but everyone understood what he was talking about. The European Union and the U.S. are to specify the Nabucco route by the end of the year. Ankara has therefore expedited the process of drafting the protocol on diplomatic ties.``
Ankara and Yerevan, on August 31, agreed to begin consultations on forging diplomatic ties and developing bilateral relations. The two governments announced they would complete domestic discussions over two protocols within six weeks, to be followed by their ratification in the Turkish and Armenian parliaments.
Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention.
Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis.
By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more.
Subscribe
You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper
Thank you!