Leaders sign off on pipeline to bring gas from Azerbaijan to Europe

Leaders sign off on pipeline to bring gas from Azerbaijan to Europe
By Euronews with Reuters, AFP
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Leaders of five countries have formally signed off on the construction of a pipeline to bring Caspian gas to European markets, reducing the energy reliance on Russia.

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Leaders of five countries on Tuesday formally signed off on the construction of a pipeline to bring Caspian gas to European markets.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, hosting the ceremony in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, said: “The energy map of south-east Europe is being redefined and this turns Greece into an energy hub of the region.”

The project will also create 8,000 jobs for Greece’s moribund economy with hundreds of millions of euros in contracts for Greek firms taking part in construction work.

Due for completion in three years time the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline will join up with the South Caucasus Pipeline through Georgia and the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) through Turkey to bring gas from Azerbaijan’s massive Shah Deniz II field crossing through Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea to end in Italy.

TAP will deliver a modern, safe & robust pipeline to transport new #gas to Europe #TAPkickoff#EnergyUnion#natgaspic.twitter.com/9f7bSOMomd

— TAP (@tap_pipeline) May 17, 2016

European regulators cleared the project in March as part of Europe’s drive to reduce the energy reliance on Russia.

TAP is owned by BP, Azeri state energy firm SOCAR, Italy’s Snam, Belgian company Fluxys, Spain’s Enagas and Axpo. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

#TAPkickoff marks a historic milestone for #Europe#energysecurity#Thessalonikitsipras_eu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pskourl">pskourl#Greece#gaspic.twitter.com/GOGJgltu8t

— TAP (@tap_pipeline) May 17, 2016

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