According to Interfax, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced his readiness to support the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project if the Turkmen authorities decide to implement it. However, Azerbaijan will not be the initiator of the construction. The head of Azerbaijan said this in an interview with the Italian edition of Il Sole 24 Ore.
According to Aliyev, the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline has been discussed for 15 years, but no practical steps have been taken to implement it.
“This project is based on the resources of Turkmenistan. Therefore, if the government of Turkmenistan decides to build this gas pipeline, it will be their decision. If they make such a decision, then, of course, we will support them. But we will not be the initiators here,” the President of Azerbaijan said.
“I want to say that the initiators of such projects are not transit countries, but resource owners. Transit countries can only provide support, provide territory, decide on transit tariffs,” Aliyev summed up, adding that Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are currently discussing the joint development of the Dostlug (Dostluk) Caspian.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan