High-level discussions between Turkmenistan and the European Union (EU) centered on prospects for cooperation in energy and transport have unfolded in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.
Foreign Minister Rashit Meredow of Turkmenistan and the EU's Special Representative for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala, convened to deliberate on the current partnership agenda and avenues for furthering cooperation. The meeting served as a platform to exchange insights on strengthening ties between Turkmenistan and the EU.
Priority areas delineated for cooperation encompassed environmental protection, green and digital transformation, education, energy, transport, and logistics. Moreover, extended discussions to the logistical arrangements for an impending ministerial conference under the rubric of "Central Asia-European Union" slated to convene in Ashgabat.
Preparatory discussions also revolved around the agenda of an upcoming joint conference commemorating the 30th anniversary of collaboration between Turkmenistan and the EU.
Subsequently, the Joint Conference of Turkmenistan and the EU, dedicated to three decades of collaboration, unfolded at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on May 14. Thematic sessions spotlighting successful partnership projects in education, trade, security, and the green economy underscored the event's agenda. An accompanying exhibition, showcasing achievements accrued over the 30-year partnership, was inaugurated at the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
A highlight of the conference was the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan, the state-owned Turkmengas, and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).
Simultaneously, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar disclosed an agreement between Turkish and Azerbaijani authorities regarding the transportation of Turkmenistan's natural gas to Turkey via Azerbaijan and Georgia. This agreement, unveiled on May 14 in Istanbul, also encompassed the transit of Azerbaijani and neighboring regional energy resources to Turkey, with prospects for further transit to European markets.
Turkmenistan's pivotal role in initiating the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (TCP) project was emphasized. Envisioned as an underwater conduit for Turkmen natural gas to integrate into the European energy market, the TCP holds promise for diversifying Europe's gas supplies, with an envisaged annual transportation capacity of approximately 32 bn cubic meters.
Critical to the implementation of the TCP project are considerations such as funding sources, particularly in light of European restrictions on fossil fuel financing, and the logistical intricacies of integrating this additional supply into the Southern Gas Corridor infrastructure.
The EU's reliance on Turkmen gas supplies via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Turkey underscores its strategic imperative to enhance energy security, thereby reducing dependency on Russia.
In March, Turkmenistan and the EU inked the Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), a significant milestone in bilateral relations. The original PCA, signed in 1998, awaited ratification by the European Parliament, with interim trade arrangements governing bilateral ties. A 2015 declaration on energy cooperation, highlighting the Trans-Caspian project, was inked in Ashgabat among Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the EU.
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