NABUCCO’s importance

US Special Representative on Energy Issues Richard Morningstar has stated that NABUCCO project is vitally important for Europe’s energy security while at the same time diversifying energy supplies. He has also said that if Turkey and Azerbaijan do not reach a mutually acceptable agreement on the natural gas price it will become necessary to find alternative means of transportation. One of the alternatives could be transporting compressed natural gas to Europe through the Black Sea via the White Stream route.

While discussing this option Morningstar stressed the necessity of achieving mutual understanding between Turkey and Azerbaijan in this direction. This would make Turkey the most important country from the point of view of transporting Caucasus and Central Asian gas to the rest of the world. He advised both countries to reach acceptable agreements as soon as possible to support and facilitate NABUCCO project implementation.

Morningstar thinks that natural gas for NABUCCO should initially be provided by Azerbaijan, and later Turkmenistan and Irak. He stressed that the US does not want Iran to be part of this southern corridor. A special committee has been formed in the USA to study energy policy and the regulation of crises in energy supply in Europe.

Meanwhile Azerbaijan is trying to accelerate the NABUCCO project’s implementation. It has the possibility of exporting its gas to the east, but Azeri State oil company Vice President Elshad Nasirov stated recently that the priority for Azeri companies is to sell gas to the European market.