Enjoyed Vasili Rukhadze’s interesting thoughts on a very strategic issue. You can read his entire article here at Neweurasia.net but, based on his analysis and my own experience in Kazahkstan in the late ’90s, believe his conclusions are very much on the mark:

Pursuing the Trans Caspian Energy Project is well worth the investment. A high financial cost of Trans Caspian Energy Project is definitely a matter of concern. However, political and economic gains for all sides are so big that expenses can be wisely divided through negotiations among the countries and the companies involved in the project…

Western governments should act quickly, consistently and intensively. They should reach out not only Turkmen and Kazakh governments but also Uzbek government and try to engage them in the new Trans-Caspian Energy Project. Inclusion of Uzbekistan’s energy supplies in the Trans Caspian Energy project can be mutually beneficial both for Europe and for Uzbekistan, from an economic and political perspective. Europe should do its best to direct all of Central Asia’s energy resources to the West, not just Kazakh oil and Turkmen gas as was originally envisaged by the Trans Caspian Energy project. This would not mean Europe’s hegemonic monopoly on the region’s gas and oil supplies. It simply would be the best guarantor of Central Asia’s economic development, democratic reformation and international cooperation. On the other hand Europe would be relieved of its tightening dependence on Russian energy. The Trans Caspian Energy Project is worth pursuing. So far, nothing is lost and it’s up to the West to act now.