Much interest in Turkmen gas line to Europe

May 6, 1997 Turkish Energy Minister Recai Kutan said recently that French companies had expressed interest in building a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe via Iran and Turkey. "Turkmenistan has a potential to sell up to 30 bn cm of gas annually and it plans to sell it to Europe through a pipeline. We will sign an agreement with Turkmenistan next week for the Turkmen gas to reach Europe through a pipeline," he told. "There are many foreign firms interested in the deal, especially French firms," he said, but declined to name any company.
Kutan returned from an official trip to Turkmenistan last week after sealing a deal for Turkey to get an initial 3 bn cm of gas a year from 1998. He said Turkmen gas would reach Turkey through an existing pipeline from Turkmenistan to Iran's Tabriz and another pipeline to be built from Tabriz to Ankara. The line to Europe will link Turkey to Bulgaria and Austria, according to the original proposal made several years ago.