USA to Resume Talks on Energy Problems with Turkmenistan
Itar-Tass News Agency ( October 19, 2001 )
ASHGABAD, Oct 19, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- The United States is determined to resume a full-scale dialogue with Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of energy, Special Caspian Envoy of the U.S. Department of Energy Steven Mann stated at the International Petroleum and Gas Conference, which ended here on Thursday.
One and a half years have passed since the drafting of the trans-Caspian gas pipeline project was suspended.
Turkmenistan had then turned down the terms for financing the project, offered by the pipeline consortium, the American diplomat recalled. Today, conditions have cardinally changed both on the market of Turkey, which is living through a deep economic crisis, and concerning the terms of the trans-Caucasian plan to transport Azerbaijan gas from the Shakhdeniz deposit. This plan had shouldered out the Turkmenian version of pumping gas to Turkey, Mann stated.
The special envoy expressed readiness to hear the view of the Turkmenian side on cooperation in the petroleum and gas industry. Mann said that he would be most likely received by the president of Turkmenistan on Friday. |
