West seeking Armenia`s joining NABUCCO, report claims
The NABUCCO pipeline, planned to pump gas from the resource-rich
Caspian and Central Asia regions to Europe while bypassing Russia,
may run through Armenia, Turkey`s Star newspaper claimed.
It said the United States and European Union countries are seeking to route the conduit through the South Caucasus republic. The proposal came to the fore after Turkish President Abdullah Gul`s recent visit to Yerevan. A suggestion was reportedly made to Ankara to allow Armenia`s joining the project as allegedly the safest country to be crossed by NABUCCO. Upon Gul`s return from Yerevan, a relevant proposal was forwarded to the Turkish energy ministry. If approved by Ankara, Armenia could become a partner in the project, the report said.
However, Russia`s response to the proposal raises questions. It appears unlikely that Armenia, which is this country`s forepost in the region, will be allowed by Moscow to join the West-backed project.
The NABUCCO project, worth 8 billion euros, is designed to deliver Azerbaijani and Turkmen gas to European markets through a 3,300-kilometer pipeline traveling through Azerbaijan and Turkey to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria. Construction of the pipeline is due to begin in 2010. According to the project consortium, the pipeline, to be operational in 2013, will initially supply 8bcm a year, with the figure to reach 31bcm by 2018. The first gas for the pipeline will come from Azerbaijan`s Shahdaniz offshore field. Other potential suppliers include Kazakhstan, Iraq, Egypt and Iran.
Six shareholders - German RWЕ, Turkish Botas company, Romanian Transgas, Bulgarian Bulgargas, Austrian OMV, and Hungarian MOL - hold equal stakes in the NABUCCO consortium. So far, only Azerbaijan has agreed to transport its gas via the pipeline.
It said the United States and European Union countries are seeking to route the conduit through the South Caucasus republic. The proposal came to the fore after Turkish President Abdullah Gul`s recent visit to Yerevan. A suggestion was reportedly made to Ankara to allow Armenia`s joining the project as allegedly the safest country to be crossed by NABUCCO. Upon Gul`s return from Yerevan, a relevant proposal was forwarded to the Turkish energy ministry. If approved by Ankara, Armenia could become a partner in the project, the report said.
However, Russia`s response to the proposal raises questions. It appears unlikely that Armenia, which is this country`s forepost in the region, will be allowed by Moscow to join the West-backed project.
The NABUCCO project, worth 8 billion euros, is designed to deliver Azerbaijani and Turkmen gas to European markets through a 3,300-kilometer pipeline traveling through Azerbaijan and Turkey to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria. Construction of the pipeline is due to begin in 2010. According to the project consortium, the pipeline, to be operational in 2013, will initially supply 8bcm a year, with the figure to reach 31bcm by 2018. The first gas for the pipeline will come from Azerbaijan`s Shahdaniz offshore field. Other potential suppliers include Kazakhstan, Iraq, Egypt and Iran.
Six shareholders - German RWЕ, Turkish Botas company, Romanian Transgas, Bulgarian Bulgargas, Austrian OMV, and Hungarian MOL - hold equal stakes in the NABUCCO consortium. So far, only Azerbaijan has agreed to transport its gas via the pipeline.
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!