Romania and Azerbaijan memorandum to provide Europe with gas

Romania and Azerbaijan signed a cooperation memorandum in the energy sector, according to Azeri publication Trend.az. A paragraph of the memorandum addresses the cooperation in the case of the project delivering gas from Azerbaijan to Romania through Georgia. The memorandum was signed following a meeting in Baku between the Azeri minister of energy Nating Aliyev and Romanian state secretary in the Economy Ministry Tudor Serban.

During the January 13 conference in Georgia, Romania suggested the signing of a memorandum regarding gas transport cooperation with the route Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania. According to the Azeri press, the Romanian Government considers this project important for the European Union. Romania’s got several finance sources for the project, which is to be supported by the EU.

A Romanian delegation headed by Economy minister Adriean Videanu has recently been to Georgia to discuss with partners in the Caspian region regarding important energy projects. „Nabucco remains the main project, but also White Stream 2 which represents a project that can be developed quickly”, Vidanu said. He said he discussed with the Georgian energy minister in order to speed up a tri-lateral memorandum between Georgia, Azerbaijan and Romania to conclude the White Stream project.

„Through this project, Romania may become an open gate for the entire European Union”, Videanu said.

The White Stream pipe is a project that aims to transport gas from Georgia to Europe, under the Black Sea, through Ukraine, reaching in Poland. If the pipe crossed Romania, the pipe would be shorter and a large bit of it under the Black Sea.

A Romanian delegation made up by representatives of the Economy, Commerce and Business Environment Ministry, also including Romgaz and Transgas representatives, is currently in Azerbaijan for the week, to negotiate the natural gas issue and the Nabucco gas pipe project.