EU allocated 4 billion for NabuccoApril 25, 2009 - 19:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Out of nearly 4 billion euros (US$5.4 billion) allocated for the energy sector over the next two years, less than 7% has been set aside for Nabucco, which seeks to pipe natural gas from the Caspian Sea basin through Turkey to the Balkans and Italy for eventual distribution throughout Europe as greater quantities come on line.Nabucco was entirely eliminated from the register of projects to be supported from out of the EU's 5 billion euro stimulus plan to counteract the current financial crisis, but a compromise at the European Council meeting in Brussels restored just over a quarter-billion euros after East European members of the EU raised strong protests. Besides Turkey's attitude (Ankara insists on the right to buy at below-market prices 15% of the Azerbaijani gas that would fill Nabucco), the question of Georgian transit has in some eyes become a complicating factor. While the Russian invasion of Georgia has altered Azerbaijan's politico-strategic perceptions and view of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, pipeline volumes through Georgia are coming back up to pre-invasion levels. Volumes that had transited by rail, however, seem not to have recovered as well. Kazakhstan has decided not to build a refinery at the port of Batumi, ostensibly for commercial reasons, peakoil.com reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia considers Cyprus as one of its main partners in EU - envoy Armenia considers Cyprus one of its main partners in the European Union, Ambassador Tigran Mkrtchyan has said. Armenian, Albanian Foreign Ministers discuss ties, regional issues Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania Igli Hasani. POLITICO: Baku lobbying agains detained Karabakh ex-leader abroad Azerbaijan is lobbying agains former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan, according to POLITICO. Armenia confirms will attend NATO summit in Washington Armenia has confirmed its participation in the NATO summit in Washington, a spokesperson has confirmed. |