USA to intensify talks on gas transportation from Middle Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan

Official Washington intends to intensify talks on transportation of gas from Middle Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan, said Stiven Mann, senior adviser for the US Department of State for Eurasia during the meeting with Azerbaijan's Minister of Industry and Energy Natik Aliyev, according to Interfax-Azerbaijan.

According to the press service for the Ministry during the meeting the sides discussed provision of energy security, transportation of Caspian hydrocarbon resources to the world markets and cooperation in this direction, as well as the tendency of the recent oil and gas price hike on the world market.

N.Aliyev mentioned problems, which may arise due to the sharp rise in prices on oil on the world exchanges, and noted that Azerbaijan undertakes steps for prevention of these tendency and adoption of the optimal mechanism of price formation,

"The senior adviser of the US Department of State for Eurasia noted that official Washington intends to intensify talks on transportation of hydrocarbon reserves of Middle Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan.

He welcomed the sincere dialogue between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and start of cooperation between the two countries and noetd that for the further expansion of these ties the US government also undertakes due steps", notes the statement.

According to Mann, the United States are actively working with the Turkmenistani government for this country to diversify transportation of its gas resources and to take an active part in the implementation of the project of the Nabucco gas pipeline construction.

In turn, N.Aliyev noted that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are developing and on September 9-11 the sides will hold a joint exhibition and conference on oil in Baku.

He said the exhibition opening ceremony will be attended by S.Mann. Foreign oil companies, functioning in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are also invited for the event.

The Minister of Energy and Industry noted that after the event, new trends of cooperation between two countries in the oil and gas sphere will be defined.