Iran to export 3bn cu. m. of gas to Syria annually

TEHRAN (PIN) – Iran’s Acting Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari and Syrian oil minister here Thursday signed an agreement on export of 2-3 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Syria via Turkey per annum up to 2009.

According to the agreement, an oil refinery with a daily capacity of 140 thousand barrels will be manufactured in Syria in collaboration with Iran and Venezuela.

It has also called for Iran’s participation in implementation of smart fuel card and further cooperation in oil and gas projects as well as technical and engineering services in Syria.

Nozari said that Syria had held preliminary talks on transfer of Iran’s gas to Syria through Turkey’s territory.

The caretaker added, “Following the signing of the agreement, expert groups will start estimating the transit fee and studying other related issues.

“In addition, Iran has already held negotiations with Turkey on transmission of gas to Europe via its land.”

EU energy commissioner announced that EU saw Iran as a source of supply of energy resources.

However, Andris Piebalgs added future cooperation between the European Union and Iran over energy supply was dependent on finding a solution to Iran’s nuclear dispute.

“We should all increase our activities to find a solution to this issue,” Piebalgs told reporters on the sidelines of an energy conference of the Energy Community, hosted by the Greek Ministry of Development in Athens, AP reported.

“At the same time, we definitely see Iran will be a source of supply of energy resources to the European Union, and Turkey as a neighboring country of Iran is definitely well placed to negotiate such a type of supply,” he said.

Iran, which has the world’s second-largest reserves of natural gas, could one day supply gas through the planned Nabucco pipeline running through Turkey and into southern Europe. The pipeline is seen as vital to weaning Europe off dependence on Russian gas. 

The European commissioner for energy said that Iran had a great long-term potential to become a supplier of energy to the West. Piebalgs said Iran remained a major potential partner for Europe in supplying natural gas, where demand was growing rapidly.

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