Azerbaijan 's Gas Pipelines Discussed by Politicians

The German Ambassador to Azerbaijan  Herbert Quelle has told an Azerbaijani news organisation, APA, that Germany was for the proposed work on the Southern Corridor pipeline. 

"We fully support the Southern Corridor as an essential project for the diversification of our energy supply," he said. "We hope that the decision on the concrete pipeline will be taken soon, because investors need clarity." 

Mr. Quelle's comments are likely to resonate with the head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Guam Parliamentary Assembly, Anatoly Matvienko, who said that the EU was in danger of losing Ukraine as a transit company if it didn't rethink its pipeline policies.

"If the European Union doesn’t approach the gas transportation system attentively, it could lose Ukraine as a transit country," he said. Mr. Matvienko, the leader of the Ukrainian Republican Party, also said that Ukraine was very willing to work with Azerbaijan to transport gas from the country. "Today Azerbaijan can deliver its hydrocarbon resources to the European markets via Ukraine. Kiev  [Ukraine's capital city] is always ready to work together with Baku [the capital of Azerbaijan] in this field."

Mr. Matvienko told the delegation that Ukraine was ready and willing for the construction of a proposed liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in Odessa, Ukraine.