CASPIAN ENERGY RESOURCES WILL NOT CAUSE CONFRONTATION OF SUPERPOWERS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS, EU COMMISSIONER CONSIDERS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The South Caucasus is on the doorstep of the European Union, due to which the economic and political development of the region, as well as its stability are of high importance to us. European Union commissioner for external relations Christopher Patten told "Mediamax" agency. Moreover, in his words, there is the issue of energy resources of the Caspian, which the EU ranges among the sources of diversification of its energy demands. At the same time the commissioner expressed an opinion that the Caspian oil and gas would not entail turning the South Caucasus into an arena of confrontation of superpowers. "Obviously, Russia, Turkey, Iran and even the US should play an important role in the region. However, in my opinion, they do not compete with each other but gradually come to an agreement over a mutually beneficial cooperation and the necessity to contribute to the South Caucasus," - he said. Within that context, in Christopher Patten's words, it is very important for the countries of the region to refrain from the urge towards setting external forces on to fight and confirm their adherence to the idea of regional cooperation.