US Senator Coons discusses trans-Caspian pipeline with KZ, AZ, TM leaders
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US Senator Chris Coons held talks with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan in Baku on July 9, focusing on energy cooperation. The discussions centered on the proposed trans-Caspian pipeline, which would carry Turkmen gas to Europe via Azerbaijan. The visit signals renewed US interest in diversifying European energy supplies away from Russia.
The Talks
Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedow in Baku on July 9. The discussions focused on the trans-Caspian pipeline, a project that has been stalled for decades due to legal and environmental disputes over the Caspian Sea's status. Coons emphasized US support for energy diversification in Europe.
Pipeline Prospects
The proposed pipeline would carry up to 30 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas annually across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, then via the Southern Gas Corridor to Europe. The project faces opposition from Russia and Iran, which cite unresolved Caspian seabed delimitation. Environmental groups also warn of risks to the Caspian's fragile ecosystem, including the endangered sturgeon population.
What's Next
The US State Department is expected to issue a formal statement on the talks in the coming days. It remains unclear whether the pipeline will gain sufficient political and legal backing to move beyond the feasibility stage.
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US Senator Coons discusses trans-Caspian pipeline with KZ, AZ, TM leaders
