EU seeks Turkmen and Azeri gas

Last fall, the EU commenced negotiations with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan in the hopes of providing Europe with Caspian natural gas. According to the Azeri Minister of Industry and Energy, Natik Aliev, an agreement could be signed this year between the three parties, supporting a southern natural gas corridor. A pipeline is envisaged as traversing the Caspian Sea bed between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan; however, Iran and Russia are against this project as they claim the status of the Caspian and its natural resources have yet to be determined.