EU explores energy supply alternatives with Central Asia, Middle East

PRAGUE, May 8 (Xinhua) -- European Union officials gathered Friday with a number of potential partners to explore possible energy supply alternatives and transportation routes via Russia.

After four years of dialogue with energy partners from Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, and the Middle East, the EU and its potential partners met at a high level for the first time to discuss concrete ways to transport energy resources from the Caspian region and Middle East to the EU.

European Commission President Jose Maunel Barroso said during the summit that the diversification of energy supplies was important as the EU has for years suffered from supply disruptions because of volatile energy prices, commercial disputes and pipeline accidents.

A southern energy corridor would offer the EU geographically new sources of energy and the potential for enhanced relations with countries from Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, Barroso said.

Barroso said that a joint declaration to be signed Friday by the EU and countries of the southern corridor will be a significant step.

The initiative would provide security of energy supply, transportation and demand through sustainable projects, he said.

On hand for the meeting were officials from Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Representatives of the European Investment Bank, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank also attended.

Representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine were present as observers.

EU, partner countries to hold southern energy corridor summit

PRAGUE, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission and the Czech Presidency of the EU will host a summit on Friday in Prague with partner countries on the development of the Southern Corridor for energy and transport.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek will meet with the leaders of partner countries from Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, Mashreq and Middle East.

Participants will discuss concrete ways for moving forward with the development of the Southern Corridor for energy and transport, in particular the supplies of natural gas to the EU along the Corridor route.

This is the first summit at which potential partners in the Southern Corridor meet at the highest level to discuss their energy transit.

A declaration will provide the first formal commitments by consumer, producer and transit states on the conditions necessary to make a success of the Corridor, according to a statement from the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU.

"After four years of intensive dialogue with our energy partners from Central Asia, Southern Caucasus, Mashreq and the Middle East, today we are moving ahead with concrete commitments to make the Southern Corridor, including the Trans-Caspian link a reality," said Barroso in the statement.

The participating partner countries are Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Representatives of Russia, the United States and Ukraine will participate as observers, while representatives of the international financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank and the World Bank will also present.

The objective of the summit is to provide strong political support and concrete commitments for the development of the Southern Corridor, including the Trans-Caspian interconnection.

This would include commitments by energy producer, transit and consumer countries along the Corridor and would facilitate the supplies of energy resources from the Caspian region and Middle East to the EU.

The EU has recently embarked on an ambitious plan to enhance its energy security after experiencing "gas crisis" in the past winter.

Within this strategy, the Southern Corridor plays an important role as a major energy infrastructure initiative contributing to diversification of energy sources and routes for EU supplies.

Iran, Armenia to finance energy projects in Armenia

TEHRAN, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan discussed with Iran's Minister of Economy and Finance Shamseddin Hosseini, the ways to finance energy projects by Iran in Armenia, the official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is willing to cooperate with Armenia in developing infrastructure of the former Soviet republic," said Hosseini, expressing hope that "the ground for expanding two countries economic and trade cooperation would be prepared in near future."

For his part, Movsisyan appreciated opening up of credit line for Armenia by the Export Development Bank of Iran, the report said.

In an official two-day visit, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, heading a high ranking political and economic delegation, arrived in Tehran on Monday for multipurpose talks with Iranian officials.

Some economic contracts including a memorandum of understanding on rail transport cooperation between the two countries are expected to be signed during his visit.

In November 2008, Iran and Armenia inked ten agreements on security, political and economic cooperation in Tehran. 