Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 11 -- European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Central Asia Oct. 10 expressed hope that disagreement over the Kashagan oil field project will be solved in terms of the existing agreement.
"We hope that the solution to this issue will soon be found in terms of the [production-sharing] agreement that has been signed, and that the solution will be found without modifying the agreement," said Solana, referring to the dispute between the Kazakh government and the Eni SPA-led consortium developing the field (OGJ Online, Oct. 8, 2007).
"I am sure this issue will be solved in a positive and constructive manner," said Solana, who added that Europe intends to cooperate with Kazakhstan in the exploitation of energy resources.
In particular, he said a trans-Caspian pipeline should be built to transmit gas from Central Asia to Europe.
"It's a project that has to be implemented," said Solana, who added that the project had been discussed at meetings with Kazakh and Turkmen leaders.
Solana was in Kazakhstan as part of a Central Asian tour to promote cooperation between the region and the EU, particularly in the field of energy resources.
On Oct. 9, Solana visited Turkmenistan, where he also promoted energy cooperation with the EU and construction of the trans-Caspian pipeline.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].