U.K. calls for southern route Turkmen gas

ASHBAGAT, Turkmenistan, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- British Minister of State for Energy Malcolm Wicks discussed with Turkmenistan the prospects of a southern gas corridor that bypasses Russia.

“We discussed the prospects of opening a southern corridor so that gas can come from Turkmenistan via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan to Turkey and further to the European Union,” he said after meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov Thursday.

The comments were reported by Turkmen TV Altyn Asyr channel.

Most of Turkmenistan’s gas goes to Europe via Russia, but the European Union is concerned that Russia is increasingly using its energy resources as a political tool, a charge Moscow denies.

The prospects of a pipeline that bypasses Russia are unclear. For one thing, it would have to go through the Caspian Sea, portions of which are disputed by the states that border it. But Turkmenistan cannot be pleased that Russia buys its gas at $100 per 1,000 cubic meters and sells it to European customers at more than twice that amount.