EU-Azerbaijan cooperation in the energy sector was discussed in Brussels on Monday, the Council of the EU reported.
During the thirteenth meeting of the Cooperation Council between the EU and Azerbaijan the sides confirmed their commitment to the negotiations with Turkmenistan on construction of the Trans-Caspian Pipeline. The Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, running to around 300 kilometres, will be laid from the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea to the Azerbaijani coast, where it will be linked to the Southern Gas Corridor.
Negotiations between Turkmenistan and the EU and other countries on construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline have been ongoing since the late 90s. In September 2011 the EU Council gave a mandate for negotiations between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to build the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. However, later, Iran and Russia expressed negative attitudes toward this project. Tehran and Moscow think that the pipeline construction will damage the Caspian Sea environment. The Cooperation Council also welcomed the Azerbaijani Parliament's ratification of the bilateral agreements with Turkey on construction and operation of the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) as part of the Southern Energy Corridor.
The TANAP project envisages construction of a pipeline from the eastern border of Turkey to the country's western border to supply gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field to Europe through Turkey.
