Reuters: Europe's plan to control Azeri gas supply in jeopardy
Europe's plan to secure and control a supply of Azeri natural gas, backed by legal agreements, is in jeopardy as Azerbaijan joins forces with Turkey to own and operate the main export pipeline.
By creating a so-called Southern Corridor to bring in large volumes of central Asian gas, the European Commission hopes to reduce dependence on Russian gas and avoid supply disruptions caused by disputes between Russia and Ukraine over gas deliveries via Ukrainian territory.
The Commission's initial plan was for European utilities to build a single pipeline to transport gas from Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea through Turkey to European markets, all under EU regulation and with limited possibilities for diverting gas en route. MORE
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