Expert: Azerbaijan can become platform for Central Asian gas exports to EU

In the future, Azerbaijan may become a platform for gas exports from Central Asia to the EU, the Executive Director of the Belgian think tank New Direction Witold de Chevilly said during his speech at the webinar of the Center for International Relations Analysis, dedicated to the EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, Report informs.

“Due to the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine, the European Union needs to find safer transport routes, and the most obvious of them is the Middle Corridor. This is a unique opportunity to expand our cooperation, and we are convinced that exports and imports from Central Asia and the South Caucasus to the EU will increase. We know this figure has already increased by 15% in the last seven months, but we must do even more,” said Witold de Chevilly.

The expert added that the development of the EU economy is impossible without free access to gas. He recalled that a memorandum on cooperation in the energy sector was signed with Azerbaijan in July last year.

The head of the Belgian think tank also emphasized the importance of achieving peace in the South Caucasus.

“For the sustainable development of this region, we need to see stability and peace there. In this regard, we saw some positive steps at the meetings between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Brussels,” he added.