Azernews.Az

By Trend

All participants are very interested in the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline project, which provides for the transportation of Turkmen gas to Europe through Azerbaijan, despite that the project has been under discussion for many years, well-known Russian expert, economist Stanislav Pritchin told Trend.

The Russian expert noted that Turkmenistan and Europe are primarily interested in implementing the large-scale project.

“This project has high political significance; in particular, Azerbaijan’s participation in it increases the country’s importance in the region and the world,” Pritchin added. “Azerbaijan takes a very balanced position in this project, and doesn’t hide that it can act as a transit country. Thus, Azerbaijan shows that it is ready connect to the project and support it as much as possible after it is launched.”

The expert further reminded that last year the Protocol on Cross-Border Projects in the Caspian Sea was adopted, which governs the issue of implementation of such projects.

“The document was adapted and adopted by all the Caspian littoral states,” Pritchin said. “But these are technical details. As part of this project, first of all, it’s necessary to think about who will sponsor the project, since it is not cheap, and how well the economic component of Turkmen gas supplies to the European market has been worked out, especially considering that serious changes are taking place in the European gas market. Azerbaijan also feels this by joining the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the implementation of which is approaching the final stage.”