Both Russia and Iran have objected to the plan, raising environmental concerns.
But few take that objection seriously. Most see Russia and Iran only concerned that Turkmeni gas going to Europe would reduce European dependence on Russian gas and make it harder for Iran ever to sell gas to the Europeans.
Iran’s ambassador to Moscow, Mahmud-Reza Sajjadi, said Friday, “Iran understands Russia’s concerns over the EU plan to draw a gas pipe from Turkmenistan across the Caspian to the West, and agrees with Russia in the matter.”
He criticized the plan as being at odds with the environmental well being of the Caspian and also the requirement for decisions about the Caspian to be made unanimously by the five states bordering the sea.
Russia’s concern for the Caspian environment has been contrasted with its dismissal of such matters when it wanted to build a pipeline over the much deeper Black Sea.
The trans-Caspian pipeline would link up with the planned Nabucco pipeline that would carry Caspian gas across Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to Europe.
Iran was originally viewed as a key source of gas for Nabucco. But the EU has said it will not touch Iranian gas until after the nuclear issue has been resolved.
Azerbaijan does not have enough gas to make the pipeline economic. Hence the need for a second country-either Iran or Turkmenistan-to be tied in.