Turkey wants entire Azeri gas volume

BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 18 (UPI) -- Turkish officials suggested they would buy the entire gas volume from Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan, an Azeri energy official said.

Azeri Minister for Industry and Energy Natiq Aliyev said in Baku that Turkey made gestures to purchase all the volume from the gas and condensate field, the largest such field in Azerbaijan.

"Turkey said -- we can purchase your gas in full volume," Aliyev said.

The minister said Baku considers any and all proposals that meet Azeri national interests on the commercial, economic, political and social fronts.

Russia, Iran and several European countries expressed interest in Azeri natural gas, the Trend Capital News Agency said.

Aliyev added his country needed to continue selling gas to Iran and Russia because the South Caucasus Pipeline cannot meet its full capacity without supplies from the Shah Deniz field.

The South Caucasus Pipeline supplies natural gas to Turkey and Georgia, but may ultimately link to broader pipeline projects, such as Nabucco.