ARMENIAN - Erevangala500

"We never know the worth o f w ater till the wells go
dry... ”
W ATER and O IL:
Proverb
Turkey, the Energy Bridge o f the Third
M illenium
Let us begin with the less important ressource: oil and gas
(we could definitely survive without oil and gas or other
natural sources o f energy, but never without water). In
fact, three quarters o f the proven oil and gas reserves o f
the world exist in the vicinity o f Turkey. In this context,
the reserves o f the Caspian basin are an estimated 16 bil­
lion barrels o f oil and 3,3 billion cubic metres o f gas,
potentially even greater. But not only this. There are the
immense reservoirs o f oil and gas in Central Asia which
shall be transported via Baku and Turkey to the west.
This means more independence from Russia, a benefit for
all o f us.Turkey, being at the epicentre o f the world's
energy fields, has the utmost importance in terms of eco-
strategy.
Turkey, an integral part and ally o f Europe, with its mod­
ern and Western values, stands in the middle o f the cross­
roads o f three continents, three seas and a multitude of
different cultures, religious heritages and political devel­
opments. In this higly vulnerable region, Turkey is
Europe's most reliable friend, despite having recently
(and most probably also in the coming years) been at the
geographical centre o f most o f the problems and disputes
which have occupaied the world agenda.
Turkey is an energy bridge between Europe and Asia -
which is, by the way, the "Eurasian" continent. Turkey is
able to assure - due to its political stability and geograph­
ic proximity - new and independent access to internation­
al markets for Caspian and oil and gas and the treasures
o f Turkmenistan and Kasachstan.
In this context, the Turkish proposal for the Caspian Sea-
Mediterranean Sea pipeline project as the main export-
pipeline will not only create vital economic activity and
interdependence among suppliers, consumers and all con­
cerned transit countries, but will also create an atmos­
phere o f peace, stability, prosperity and security; quali­
ties so greatly needed not only in this sensitive, vulnera­
ble region, but all over Europe.
133