Turkmenistan’s Energy Strategy: European Vector of Cooperation
The issues related to multilateral energy cooperation stand nowadays as a key component of international relations. The complex geopolitical processes are taking place and new energy transit schemes and configurations which dramatically affect the progress and wellbeing of states, regions and continents are being elaborated.
A determining principle of the modern global energy policy is diversification. Energy pipeline transportation is one of the kinds of large international business where the demand is always steadily high and, as a rule, exceeding the supply. The explanation is very simple – despite the existing financial and economic situation the global economy will have to meet growing energy needs, particularly hydrocarbons, which will remain as the major ‘fuel’ for global industry in years to come. In these conditions the intention of major hydrocarbon producers, including Turkmenistan, to enhance their export potential and develop diversified, modern and efficient infrastructure of energy transit and supply of to consumers is rightfully deemed to be quite reasonable. Given existing resources and the specific geographical location energy producing countries are actively searching for new market outlets and respectively shortest and most convenient routes to them. This is a normal and completely reasonable in all respects position any energy producing country willing to strengthen its economic and energy security and taking a responsible approach to upholding national interests can take. Turkmenistan belongs to this category of states and over its modern history has never give anyone occasion to doubt it.
Energy security has been and is a cornerstone of the foreign policy strategy of our country defining its essence, content and aims. It is that President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov continuously focuses on.
In this context diversification of energy infrastructure, or in other words, the use of alternative routes is something more than a mere profitable commercial project. In modern conditions it is diversification of energy exports, the inclusion of new countries and regions in the geography of transit that is able to stabilize the global economy, protect it from deformations and distortions and ensure a balance of interests of all players on international energy market through promoting healthy competition. It is obvious that the time of monopolies in this segment of the local economy is becoming a thing of the past. The rapidly growing demand for energy in different regions of the planet the general changes of political scenes all over the world, the character and content of global challenges and threats are the factors which objectively encourage the search for new configurations, schemes and models for implementing the projects of alternative energy transit routes. Which to choose is the sovereign right of participants of one or another project. Relying on the distinctive principles of the national strategy in this sphere and an objective assessment of resources and the potential for the long-term use of them, Turkmenistan has chosen not to change the geography of routes but expand and extend it through entering new promising markets. This particularly concerns significant enhancement of natural gas exports to different countries and regions of the world.
Today our country takes active measures to develop export-oriented pipeline infrastructure. Along with the existing pipelines running to the north (Russia) and the south (Iran) the strategic gas main from Turkmenistan to China was put into operation in late 2009. The project of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline is in active preparation. The substantial discussion on the construction of a pipeline towards Europe, which inaugurates the implementation of the new important and very promising vector of Turkmenistan’s energy strategy, has been significantly intensified in recent year, is in active preparation.
Reciprocal interests of Europe and Turkmenistan n the energy sector is deemed today to be natural and economically sound. The European energy market, one of the largest in the world, has to meet a constant want in reliable energy delivery to ensure sustainable economic development of the Old World with over 500 million people and one third of world industrial output. Building relations with energy producing countries, European states and companies offer mutually advantageous terms of partnerships and just prices for natural resources. This is consistent with Turkmenistan’s approach based on the geographical diversity of natural gas exports.
It is this context that Turkmenistan promotes cooperation with partners, including European countries, in. In this regard it should be noted that though a substantial discussion of the possibilities for energy collaboration between Turkmenistan and the European Union has launched quite recently, it is developed actively and fruitfully.
The Memorandum on Energy Cooperation was signed between Turkmenistan and the European Union in May 2008. The Turkmen-European meetings have been conducting on a regular basis at various levels since then, and the ad-hoc working group was formed at the level of energy ministers. A logical continuation of this process became the mandate to negotiate the Trans-Caspian pipeline given by the European Union to the European Commission on September 12 this year. In fact, this event launched the negotiating process involving all parties interested to elaborate the document which will clearly set forth the essential provisions regulating supply of natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe.
Here the normal, civilized process between sovereign and equal players on the energy market is taking place. However, it provokes an inadequate response from some representatives of the official circles and mass media in Russia.
Alleged environmental risks of the construction and future operation of the pipeline on the bottom of the Caspian Sea are particularly reported. This is a trite argument, a hackneyed one used too often whether appropriate or not. Everyone knows that the guarantees of ecological safety in modern world is an indispensable and fundamental condition of any infrastructure project, including pipeline projects – whether it is laid on the bottom of the Caspian, Baltic, Black or any other sea. Nowadays none of reputable investors will participate in a project which provides no guarantees in terms of ecology. And Turkmenistan has stated on repeated occasions including at the top level that the Trans-Caspian pipeline project will meet all international standards. Our European partners underline it too. It is Turkmenistan that regards the issues related to the environmental protection and conservation of unique natural resources of the Caspian Sea as state policy priorities that puts forward the international initiatives in this sphere. Speaking recently before the sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of Turkmenistan proposed the idea of establishing the Caspian Environmental Forum as a permanent platform for addressing environmental issues in the Caspian Basin and elaborating adequate proposals and recommendations.
Another ‘argument’ designed to challenge the legitimacy of the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline is the unsettled legal status of the Caspian Sea. In this regard it should be noted that the legal status of this water body has been negotiating for nearly twenty years. And this fact doesn’t prevent the littoral states from independently conducting various activities in the Caspian Sea throughout this period such as shipping, fishing, mining operations, etc. At the same time the littoral states develop the schemes of bilateral and multilateral collaboration in one sphere or another, conclude certain treaties and agreements. So far nobody has viewed such actions as illegal and made any attempts to restrict them by reason of the absence of the document on the legal status of the Caspian Sea. In this regard the question is why Turkmenistan as a sovereign state cannot launch the mutually advantageous pipeline project together with its partner which is a sovereign littoral state too? To construct the Trans-Caspian pipeline is the sovereign right of the states on whose sections of the bottom of the sea this pipeline will be laid, and therefore this project can be implemented only by consent of these states and requires no additional ‘permits’.
Our country continuously underlines the importance of the equal and mutually respectful negotiating process on the Caspian Sea related problems and takes an active part in it. In this regard it will be appropriate to remind that it was Ashgabat that hosted the first meeting of the leaders of the littoral states in 2002 which gave a powerful positive impetus to five-sided cooperation. Turkmenistan firmly believes this format to be helpful and promising and urges to develop new models of cooperation in the Caspian region. Following it, the President of Turkmenistan put forward the initiative to elaborate the new mechanism of the interregional energy dialogue under the aegis of the UN which would be transparent and open for all from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly. Clearly, a discussion of the issues of energy cooperation between the Caspian region and Europe in a constructive atmosphere is deemed to be logical and substantiated within such a dialogue.
In this regard the position of the Russian official circles towards Turkmenistan-European Union relations in the energy sector perplexes; the more so because it is talked of the state bound with Russia with the age-old ties of friendship and strategic partnerships. Therefore, it is the case when not the reasoning feebleness of which is evident but the counterproductive statement of question aimed at misrepresenting the essence and content of Turkmenistan’s energy policy makes itself conspicuous.
Turkmenistan has emphasized that it strongly objects to politicizing pipeline projects. The development of the Trans-Caspian route is dictated neither by the current political situation nor the intention to infringe upon anyone’s interests but the objective economic development needs of the country, real mutual benefits of project participants and well-grounded assessment of natural resources. Energy export to Europe is a priority of Turkmenistan’s strategy in an international arena, and in this context the Trans-Caspian project plays a key role. The work with Europe partners is conducted in a businesslike and constructive atmosphere, and it is going to carry on. As for the issues emerging in this context, Turkmenistan stands ready to openly and frankly discuss them with all parties concerned on the basis of mutual respect, responsibility and unbiased assessment of current global development trends.
A determining principle of the modern global energy policy is diversification. Energy pipeline transportation is one of the kinds of large international business where the demand is always steadily high and, as a rule, exceeding the supply. The explanation is very simple – despite the existing financial and economic situation the global economy will have to meet growing energy needs, particularly hydrocarbons, which will remain as the major ‘fuel’ for global industry in years to come. In these conditions the intention of major hydrocarbon producers, including Turkmenistan, to enhance their export potential and develop diversified, modern and efficient infrastructure of energy transit and supply of to consumers is rightfully deemed to be quite reasonable. Given existing resources and the specific geographical location energy producing countries are actively searching for new market outlets and respectively shortest and most convenient routes to them. This is a normal and completely reasonable in all respects position any energy producing country willing to strengthen its economic and energy security and taking a responsible approach to upholding national interests can take. Turkmenistan belongs to this category of states and over its modern history has never give anyone occasion to doubt it.
Energy security has been and is a cornerstone of the foreign policy strategy of our country defining its essence, content and aims. It is that President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov continuously focuses on.
In this context diversification of energy infrastructure, or in other words, the use of alternative routes is something more than a mere profitable commercial project. In modern conditions it is diversification of energy exports, the inclusion of new countries and regions in the geography of transit that is able to stabilize the global economy, protect it from deformations and distortions and ensure a balance of interests of all players on international energy market through promoting healthy competition. It is obvious that the time of monopolies in this segment of the local economy is becoming a thing of the past. The rapidly growing demand for energy in different regions of the planet the general changes of political scenes all over the world, the character and content of global challenges and threats are the factors which objectively encourage the search for new configurations, schemes and models for implementing the projects of alternative energy transit routes. Which to choose is the sovereign right of participants of one or another project. Relying on the distinctive principles of the national strategy in this sphere and an objective assessment of resources and the potential for the long-term use of them, Turkmenistan has chosen not to change the geography of routes but expand and extend it through entering new promising markets. This particularly concerns significant enhancement of natural gas exports to different countries and regions of the world.
Today our country takes active measures to develop export-oriented pipeline infrastructure. Along with the existing pipelines running to the north (Russia) and the south (Iran) the strategic gas main from Turkmenistan to China was put into operation in late 2009. The project of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline is in active preparation. The substantial discussion on the construction of a pipeline towards Europe, which inaugurates the implementation of the new important and very promising vector of Turkmenistan’s energy strategy, has been significantly intensified in recent year, is in active preparation.
Reciprocal interests of Europe and Turkmenistan n the energy sector is deemed today to be natural and economically sound. The European energy market, one of the largest in the world, has to meet a constant want in reliable energy delivery to ensure sustainable economic development of the Old World with over 500 million people and one third of world industrial output. Building relations with energy producing countries, European states and companies offer mutually advantageous terms of partnerships and just prices for natural resources. This is consistent with Turkmenistan’s approach based on the geographical diversity of natural gas exports.
It is this context that Turkmenistan promotes cooperation with partners, including European countries, in. In this regard it should be noted that though a substantial discussion of the possibilities for energy collaboration between Turkmenistan and the European Union has launched quite recently, it is developed actively and fruitfully.
The Memorandum on Energy Cooperation was signed between Turkmenistan and the European Union in May 2008. The Turkmen-European meetings have been conducting on a regular basis at various levels since then, and the ad-hoc working group was formed at the level of energy ministers. A logical continuation of this process became the mandate to negotiate the Trans-Caspian pipeline given by the European Union to the European Commission on September 12 this year. In fact, this event launched the negotiating process involving all parties interested to elaborate the document which will clearly set forth the essential provisions regulating supply of natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe.
Here the normal, civilized process between sovereign and equal players on the energy market is taking place. However, it provokes an inadequate response from some representatives of the official circles and mass media in Russia.
Alleged environmental risks of the construction and future operation of the pipeline on the bottom of the Caspian Sea are particularly reported. This is a trite argument, a hackneyed one used too often whether appropriate or not. Everyone knows that the guarantees of ecological safety in modern world is an indispensable and fundamental condition of any infrastructure project, including pipeline projects – whether it is laid on the bottom of the Caspian, Baltic, Black or any other sea. Nowadays none of reputable investors will participate in a project which provides no guarantees in terms of ecology. And Turkmenistan has stated on repeated occasions including at the top level that the Trans-Caspian pipeline project will meet all international standards. Our European partners underline it too. It is Turkmenistan that regards the issues related to the environmental protection and conservation of unique natural resources of the Caspian Sea as state policy priorities that puts forward the international initiatives in this sphere. Speaking recently before the sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly, the President of Turkmenistan proposed the idea of establishing the Caspian Environmental Forum as a permanent platform for addressing environmental issues in the Caspian Basin and elaborating adequate proposals and recommendations.
Another ‘argument’ designed to challenge the legitimacy of the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline is the unsettled legal status of the Caspian Sea. In this regard it should be noted that the legal status of this water body has been negotiating for nearly twenty years. And this fact doesn’t prevent the littoral states from independently conducting various activities in the Caspian Sea throughout this period such as shipping, fishing, mining operations, etc. At the same time the littoral states develop the schemes of bilateral and multilateral collaboration in one sphere or another, conclude certain treaties and agreements. So far nobody has viewed such actions as illegal and made any attempts to restrict them by reason of the absence of the document on the legal status of the Caspian Sea. In this regard the question is why Turkmenistan as a sovereign state cannot launch the mutually advantageous pipeline project together with its partner which is a sovereign littoral state too? To construct the Trans-Caspian pipeline is the sovereign right of the states on whose sections of the bottom of the sea this pipeline will be laid, and therefore this project can be implemented only by consent of these states and requires no additional ‘permits’.
Our country continuously underlines the importance of the equal and mutually respectful negotiating process on the Caspian Sea related problems and takes an active part in it. In this regard it will be appropriate to remind that it was Ashgabat that hosted the first meeting of the leaders of the littoral states in 2002 which gave a powerful positive impetus to five-sided cooperation. Turkmenistan firmly believes this format to be helpful and promising and urges to develop new models of cooperation in the Caspian region. Following it, the President of Turkmenistan put forward the initiative to elaborate the new mechanism of the interregional energy dialogue under the aegis of the UN which would be transparent and open for all from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly. Clearly, a discussion of the issues of energy cooperation between the Caspian region and Europe in a constructive atmosphere is deemed to be logical and substantiated within such a dialogue.
In this regard the position of the Russian official circles towards Turkmenistan-European Union relations in the energy sector perplexes; the more so because it is talked of the state bound with Russia with the age-old ties of friendship and strategic partnerships. Therefore, it is the case when not the reasoning feebleness of which is evident but the counterproductive statement of question aimed at misrepresenting the essence and content of Turkmenistan’s energy policy makes itself conspicuous.
Turkmenistan has emphasized that it strongly objects to politicizing pipeline projects. The development of the Trans-Caspian route is dictated neither by the current political situation nor the intention to infringe upon anyone’s interests but the objective economic development needs of the country, real mutual benefits of project participants and well-grounded assessment of natural resources. Energy export to Europe is a priority of Turkmenistan’s strategy in an international arena, and in this context the Trans-Caspian project plays a key role. The work with Europe partners is conducted in a businesslike and constructive atmosphere, and it is going to carry on. As for the issues emerging in this context, Turkmenistan stands ready to openly and frankly discuss them with all parties concerned on the basis of mutual respect, responsibility and unbiased assessment of current global development trends.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan
Source: Turkmenistan: The Golden Age