Azerbaijan Could Be Transit Country for Turkmen Gas

Azerbaijan could be use as a transit country for Turkmenistan's gas, a spokesperson for the European Commission has said.

Speaking to the Reuters news agency, Marlene Holzner, spokesperson for EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger, said that the matter had been discussed in a meeting between Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Minister Oettinger.

"Turkmenistan said it continues to be interested in delivering gas to Europe," she said. "Azerbaijan also confirmed its interest in being an 'enabler', meaning it would also be a transit country for (Turkmen) gas."

The statement comes after one made by Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on Sunday, ahead of the meeting, who said that Turkmen gas could be used to ease trade in Europe. Following a separate meeting with Turkmen president President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow yesterday, Minister Yildiz told reporters that Turkmenistan could be important to Europe's gas supply.

"Turkmenistan gas cannot stay out of the region's gas movement," the Anatolian news agency reports him as saying. "We talked about how the Turkmen gas could be included in this project within the frame of energy security."

He also said on Sunday that Turkmen gas could be supplied through the Trans Anatolian pipeline (TANAP).