Georgian Prime Minister and Turkmen President meet to discuss energy collaboration and regional stability matters.
Georgia and Turkmenistan Discuss Energy Cooperation and Regional Ties
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with Turkmenistan's President Serdar Berdimuhamedow at the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries in Awaza, Turkmenistan. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the conference, highlighted the growing partnership between the two nations, particularly in the energy sector.
The conversation focused on the potential role of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) in facilitating the transit of Turkmen natural gas to European markets. The SGC, a key infrastructure project, currently delivers Azeri gas through Turkey to Europe, with Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field as the main supply source. Turkey's pipelines, including TANAP (Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline), form the backbone of this corridor, facilitating gas transit from the Caspian region through Anatolia to European markets.
The leaders discussed the ongoing importance and potential expansion of natural gas transit routes, with a focus on Turkey's role in connecting Caspian and Central Asian gas to European markets via the SGC. The capacity and share of the SGC in EU gas supply have been increasing, with commitments to double capacity to 20 bcm/year by 2027 to enhance energy diversification for Europe.
In addition to the SGC, the meeting touched upon Turkey's broader regional gas connectivity, including new swaps and agreements with Turkmenistan and Iraq that could further secure and diversify gas supplies through Turkey to its neighbors and Europe. However, practical implementation faces geopolitical and sanction-related challenges affecting some agreements, such as those involving Turkmenistan via Iran and Iraq.
The strategic dialogue between Kobakhidze and Berdimuhamedow likely covered the synergy around such transit routes and regional collaboration. Turkmenistan’s renewed interest in gas diplomacy and readiness to pre-structure corridors potentially linking into the Southern Gas Corridor or parallel routes to Europe were noted. While Turkmen gas is not currently part of the SGC, renewed feasibility studies and EU interest in Central Asian gas integration indicate future expansion possibilities.
As a gesture of deepening diplomatic ties, Prime Minister Kobakhidze extended an official invitation to President Berdimuhamedow to visit Georgia. The meeting also emphasized the importance of regional peace and stability, with discussions focusing on the expansion of trade and economic relations between the two countries, as well as bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
In summary, the meeting underscored regional cooperation efforts to enhance and secure these transit routes, potentially incorporating Turkmen and other Central Asian gas supplies into European markets in coming years, despite some ongoing geopolitical and sanction-related complexities. As Europe seeks to diversify energy sources away from Russia, Turkey’s role as a transit hub through the Southern Gas Corridor remains robust, with growth expected in the future.
The conversation between Irakli Kobakhidze and Serdar Berdimuhamedow dwelt on the potential inclusion of Turkmen gas in the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) for the transit to European markets, thereby highlighting the intersection of energy and finance in this industry-focused dialog. The discussion also expanded to broader topics such as politics and general-news, as the leaders considered regional peace, stability, and trade amidst the diplomatic efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries.
