EU assured of natural gas supplies from Turkmenistan

Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent

PARIS, Apr. 15 -- On a recent visit to Turkmenistan, European Union External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner received assurances from Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow that 10 billion cu m of natural gas would be available for EU members every year, beginning in 2009, the commissioner's spokeswoman Christiane Hohlmann told OGJ.

Hohlmann said this was the first time the president has given "a specific volume for these supplies, and such a 'political assurance' from one of the Central Asia's gas producers was very important."

The assurance of new gas supplies bolsters the EU's efforts to diversify its gas sources away from Russia's dominant position for reasons of both political security and safe supplies.

In a "Viewpoint" published in France's economic daily La Tribune, Ferrero-Waldner said the commission is "working with other partners" to enhance its gas supply security.

Agreements have been confirmed with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. Besides Algeria in the south, "with whom we are negotiating a strategic partnership," she said agreements had been finalized with Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan and when finalized with Libya "would open up serious prospects" of supply reinforcements from that country.

The commission, she said, is also studying new interconnections with the Middle East and North Africa, and an energy partnership is being discussed with Iraq. She said she would soon travel to Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE) to deepen the partnership with them.