AssA-Irada,
21, September 2007

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Turkmenistan is seeking to export its energy resources southward - through Azerbaijan and Turkey, President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said while hosting UK Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks on Thursday.

Wicks said the Central Asian state's leader stated during the discussions that his country intended to acquire alternate sources for gas exports.

"The demand of the United Kingdom and the entire European Union for oil is on the rise, while Azerbaijan is flush with oil and gas. We are interested in opening the corridor that may be used to take oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe through Azerbaijan and Turkey. This will pave the way for expanding the European market," the minister said.

Wicks, who arrived in Azerbaijan from Turkmenistan on Friday, first met with the president of the state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev. He was then received by President Ilham Aliyev. Wicks will further hold meetings at the ministries of industry and energy, and economic development.

The minister welcomed the outcomes of his meeting with the head of state. Overall, he described his visit to the region as prolific.

Wicks said he had raised energy issues at a meeting with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.