Introduction

In mid April, after returning from meetings with the Turkmen government in Ashgabat, the EU's external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner announced a breakthrough for Europe's gas supply diversification efforts. According to Ms Ferrero-Waldner, Turkmenistan promised to reserve 10 bcm/year of its annual gas production for European consumers from 2009 onwards. Furthermore, Turkmenistan's President Berdymukhammedov agreed to open doors to European energy companies and allow them to compete in auctions for the right to develop new Turkmen gas and oil fields. Europe's ...