Samuel Lussac: The Future of Nabucco relies on the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey

Lussac believes, that this transportation can not be considered a threat to Nabucco project.

“To be implemented, Nabucco needs to receive at least 8 bcm a year. Such volumes can only come from the phase 2 of Shah Deniz. Some feared that the 30 June 2009-deal may be a first step before SOCAR and Gazprom negotiate the transportation of Shah Deniz's gas through Russian pipelines. But the Azerbaijani oil company has thoroughly taken care to convince its partners in Shah Deniz and the companies in the Nabucco consortium that the agreements with Iran and Russia were not aimed at “killing” Nabucco. They are just part of the diversification of gas exports wanted by Azerbaijan and SOCAR,” said Lussac.

Expert also thinks that the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are the future of the Nabucco project.

”The cornerstone regarding the future of Nabucco is not so much the discussions between Gazprom and SOCAR but rather the relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The future of Nabucco, as well as the other pipelines projects running  through Turkey, lies in the progress of the negotiations between Ankara and Baku. While the political tensions between them are decreasing now, this difficult and sensitive process may come to an end and an agreement between the two parties is becoming more likely week after week.” he said.

T. Teymur