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Azerbaijan has offered Iraq access to the Southern Gas Corridor, which connects the Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to the EU, in order to help Baghdad supply natural gas to Europe. Gas pumped from the Shah Deniz II field will travel through a new Trans-Anatolian pipeline across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The new pipeline is set to be a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor and a further significant supply source for the EU.

Open invitation to join the Southern Gas Corridor

Elmar Mammadyarov, Baku鈥檚 Foreign Minister, told press at a news conference in Iraq that officials in Baghdad had expressed interest in joining the massive project, which is already supported by the US.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge project and it鈥檚 open if Iraq is also interested to deliver their own natural gas,鈥� said Mammadyarov. 鈥淭he project is there, so if any other countries want to join the Southern Gas Corridor, including Iraq, we are ready to start negotiations.鈥�

Meeting Europe鈥檚 increasing demand for gas

According to South Stream, demand for additional gas imports in Europe could reach 80 billion m³/y by 2020 and exceed 140 billion m³/y by 2030.

The Trans-Anatolian pipeline will reduce Europe鈥檚 dependence on gas from Russia, which is currently backing the construction of the South Stream pipeline that will transport some 63 million m³/y through the Black Sea to Bulgaria and further to Greece, Italy and Austria.

Iraq currently produces a relatively small amount of gas, which is predominantly kept for the country鈥檚 domestic market. However, it is planning to increase exports of natural gas in order to fund new infrastructure projects and economic reconstruction.

Edited from various sources by

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