From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Thu Jan 20 2000 - 11:42:13 EST
TURKMENISTAN HOLDS TALKS WITH PIPELINE SCHEME PARTICIPANTS
Delegations from Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and
Turkey, together with U.S. special envoy on Caspian energy
issues John Wolf, met in Ashgabat on 18-19 January to discuss
a framework document for the planned Trans-Caspian gas export
pipeline, Interfax reported. The delegations also discussed
the agreements which each country will conclude separately
with the operators of the pipeline project, PSG and Royal
Dutch/Shell. Wolf said that Russia has also been invited to
participate in the project, for which the U.S.'s Ex-Im Bank
may provide some financial support. Cost of the project is
estimated at $2.5 billion. Wolf said that the disagreement
between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan over the amount of gas
that Azerbaijan will be permitted to export via the pipeline
was not discussed. Baku is reportedly demanding a 50 percent
share of the facility's annual throughput capacity of 30
billion cubic meters, whereas Turkmenistan is offering no
more than a 20 percent share. LF
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