The European Union will hold talks on the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Trend cites spokesman of European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger, Marlene Holzner, as saying in Brussels.
A mandate for the talks was issued on September 12. The discussions concern construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline with a length of 300 km from the Turkmen to the Azerbaijani coasts. The negotiations have been ongoing since the late 1990s. The sides will not discuss the Caspian Sea's status.
The European Commission is interested in fulfillment of ecological norms.
Holzner gave a high rating to the opening of a new gas field at Absheron in Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a declaration in January with the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, to provide gas supplies.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced the discovery of a new gas field, Absheron, in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea on Friday. It holds about 350 billion cubic meters of gas and 45 million tons of condensate reserves.
The shareholders of the Absheron project are the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) with 40%, Total (France) - 40% and Gaz De France Suez - 20%.
