Experts from governments, international organisations, companies and academia met in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on 10-11 December 2014 to discuss ways to ensure reliable and stable transit of energy and its role of sustainable development and international cooperation. The International Meeting of Experts was hosted by the government of Turkmenistan pursuant to resolution 67/263 of the United Nations General Assembly, and co-organised by the Energy Charter Secretariat.
Decision-makers from more than 30 governments concurred in common energy policy objectives, such as sustainability and diversification of energy sources, routes and final markets. Private sector representatives added their insights on necessary legal, financial and technical conditions to realise major energy transit infrastructure projects like long-distance oil and gas pipelines and electricity grids. The important role of the Energy Charter as a multilateral platform to promote transit and of the Energy Charter Treaty's legally binding provisions on transit were acknowledged by numerous participants. The participants supported in particular the development of a global role of the Energy Charter in relation to energy transit, as was duly reflected in the Final Declaration of the Meeting.
The continuation of International Expert Meetings on reliable and stable transit of energy was envisaged for the first half of 2015.
Meeting Materials
Session 1: Introduction and Objectives
Session 2: Special Needs of Energy Producing, Transit and Consuming Countries
Marc-Antoine Eyl-Mazzega
Programme Manager, International Energy Agency
Denis Daniildis
Chargé d’affaires, European External Action Service
Danila Bochkarev
Fellow, East West Institute
Session 3: Existing Mechanisms for International Cooperation to Ensure Stable and Reliable Transit of Energy
Legal Aspects: Multilateral Treaties, Intergovernmental Agreements, Regulation, Status of the Caspian Sea
Carlos Enriquez
Minister Representative, Tax Administration Service of Mexico
Florian Encke
Senior Expert, Energy Charter Secretariat
Richard Tyler
Partner, Hogan Lovells
Nadiya Nychay
Counsel, Dentons
Investment Aspects: Investment Climate, Financing, International Consortia, Investing in a Regulated Market
Daniel Stein
Senior Advisor, US Department of State
Nabil Khodadad
Co-Head, Project Finance, Vinson & Elkins RLLP
Emre Kalkan
Expert Assistant, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey
Operational Aspects: Securing Energy Transit, Operating a Multinational Pipeline, Dispute Settlement
Miroslav Jenca
Head, UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA)
Nils Andreas Masvie
Vice President, DNV GL
Thomas Dimitroff
Infrastructure Development Partnership LLP
Christer Söderlund
Advokat / Partner, Vinge
Session 4: Issues Left by Existing Mechanisms for International Cooperation to Ensure Stable and Reliable Transit of Energy: Legal, Investment and Operational Aspects, Critical Elements for a Renewed International Mechanism
Statement by the Delegation of Italy
Statement by the Delegation of Sri Lanka
Statement by the Delegation of Azerbaijan in Russian