EU envoy proposes establishing Central Asian energy forum
PARIS. May 19. KAZINFORM Central Asian countries should establish a Caspian Sea energy forum to safeguard their interests, EU Especial Envoy for Central Asia Pierre Morel said on Wednesday; Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
Speaking at the 10th summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States on oil and gas in Paris, Morel said Central Asia was a regional conglomerate with its own long-term goals and conflicts of interest.
He said five independent states in the region wanted to remain independent, especially considering the energy sphere, and for this purpose should unite into a special energy forum.
Gas-rich Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are viewed as potential suppliers of natural gas for the western-backed Nabucco pipeline intended to pump Caspian and Central Asian gas to Europe bypassing Russia.
The EU has been seeking to cut its dependence on Russian energy supplies, especially after recent energy conflicts between Russia and its ex-Soviet neighbors which led to disruptions in energy deliveries to European consumers during winter periods and accusations that Russia was using energy supplies as an energy weapon; Kazinform cites RIA Novosti.
See www.en.rian.ru