Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan vow to strengthen energy cooperation

Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan vowed here Wednesday that the three countries would strengthen energy cooperation.

"We have developed projects of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline and natural gas pipeline crossing over the Caspian Sea," Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said during the Turkey- Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan energy ministers' meeting.

"However, gas pipeline projects crossing over the Caspian Sea have not been realized due to certain reasons," said Yildiz.

"But new projects, such as the Nabucco, have been developed in the region," Yildiz said, adding "we believe that an agreement to support the (Nabucco) project would be signed in October."

"We also want to purchase natural gas extracted in Turkmenistan at the Caspian Sea coastline," added Yildiz.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Minister of Industry and Energy Natiq Aliyev said in the meeting that Azerbaijan hopes to make more investments in Turkey.

"We are working on establishing electrical energy connection between Azerbaijan and Turkey," said Aliyev, adding "we attach high importance to carrying Turkmen natural gas to Europe via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan."

"The Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline united the economies of Turkey and Azerbaijan and we are working to promote such kind of cooperation," added Aliyev.

Also on Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an agreement on the establishment of Turkey-Azerbaijan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul.
(Source:xinhua)