Azerbaijan to export 1.2bln cubic metres of gas to Syria through Turkey annually
Turkey supported rebel forces in neighbouring Syria throughout the 13-year civil war that ended with the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December and has become one of the new Syrian government's main foreign allies.
Ankara is now positioning itself to be a major player in Syria's reconstruction.
SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov was speaking at a ceremony in the southern Turkish city of Kilis, close to the Syrian border, as Turkey and Azerbaijan launched natural gas exports to Syria.
Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said the project followed agreements in April and July between Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Syria's new President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Gas will be transported through Turkish territory to Syria under a coordinated arrangement, Jabbarov said.
"By launching gas exports to Syria, Azerbaijan has demonstrated that it is capable of exporting gas not only to the West, but also to the East and the South," he said at the event.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said deliveries were expected to reach around 6 million cubic metres (mcm) per day. While the current delivery plan foresees exports of 1.2 bcm annually, Bayraktar said there was potential to supply up to 2 bcm per year in the first phase.
The gas will be used to restart power plants in Syria with a combined capacity of 1,200 megawatts, Bayraktar said.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir said the gas supplies would support basic energy needs in areas affected by conflict. He said the gas would allow for an additional four hours of electricity per day in those areas by increasing generation by around 750 MW.
Al-Bashir also said that while the agreement foresees daily deliveries of 6 mcm, the initial volume would be around 3.4 mcm per day. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Louise Heavens, Susan Fenton and Joe Bavier)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Trump hosts Azerbaijan-Armenia peace summit in Washington
US President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington on Friday for a peace summit aimed at ending decades of conflict and reopening key transport routes in the region. The two countries in the South Caucasus region signed an agreement that will create a major transit corridor, to be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity. That route will connect mainland Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhchivan region – a demand from Baku that had held up peace talks between the two nations. Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan are separated by a 32km patch of Armenian territory. "The countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan are committing to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel and diplomatic relations, and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Mr Trump said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hailed the peace deal as "a success for our countries and for our region and the success for the world, because a more peaceful region means a safer world". Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev thanked Mr Trump for hosting the "historic event" and said that the US-Azerbaijan deal encompassed "mutual investment, trade, energy, connectivity, transit, AI, defence, sales, counter-terrorism". The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia was over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory disputed since the Soviet era. The two nations battled for control of the region through violent clashes that left tens of thousands dead over nearly four decades, while international mediation efforts failed. It ended in 2023 after Baku reclaimed the territory, long recognised as belonging to Azerbaijan but which was held by Armenia for decades. The two countries have since been working to normalise relations. Armenia and Azerbaijan held peace talks in Abu Dhabi in July, during which both sides agreed to continue bilateral negotiations and 'confidence-building measures'. President Sheikh Mohamed said the decision to hold the talks in the UAE emphasised that the country is trusted as a supporter of peace and diplomatic solutions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Mr Trump has positioned himself as a peacemaker and has claimed to have ended five conflicts so far. He has expressed his desire several times to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Mr Aliev suggested that he and Mr PAshinyan send a joint appeal to secure the prize for Mr Trump. "This is a tangible result of President Trump's leadership, and no one else could have achieved that," Mr Aliyev said. "Who, if not President Trump, deserves the Nobel Peace Prize?" The Armenia-Azerbaijan deal comes as a political blow to Russia, as the two countries fall within its sphere of influence and Moscow had attempted for decades to bring the conflict to a close. It also comes as the US attempts to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Bloomberg reported on Friday that Washington and Moscow were aiming to reach a deal to halt the war that would lock in Russia's occupation of territory seized during its military invasion.
The National
9 hours ago
- The National
Syria's elections must be about more than filling seats
Syria's transitional authorities have announced indirect parliamentary elections for September, the first since the fall of Bashar Al Assad 's government. After more than a decade of war, fragmentation and failed peace efforts, the revival of parliamentary life represents both a critical turning point and a rare glimmer of hope. On paper, the process offers modest but meaningful improvements over previous transitional efforts. It promises broader representation, multiple consultative phases, appeal mechanisms and an attempt to boost women's participation. Yet these promising elements are clouded by structural ambiguities and unresolved questions. Who will select the powerful electoral subcommittees, and by what criteria? How will representation quotas be enforced? What voice will areas beyond Damascus's control have? And crucially, who will ensure independent oversight to guarantee credibility? Without clear answers and genuine transparency, these elections risk becoming another top-down exercise – reinforcing public cynicism rather than restoring trust. The process was formally set in motion on June 13, when interim President Ahmad Al Shara announced the formation of an 11-member Supreme Committee for People's Assembly Elections. This body is tasked with designing and overseeing an indirect electoral system based on electoral colleges, not public voting, to form the new assembly. Originally set at 150 members, the assembly's size was expanded to 210 under a draft electoral law submitted to Mr Al Shara on July 26. Two thirds of the members will be chosen through the committee-led process, while one third will be appointed directly by the interim President. Once the draft law is approved, the Supreme Committee will have one week to establish two-member subcommittees in each of Syria's 14 governorates. These bodies will then have 15 days to form district-level electoral colleges, whose size will depend on the number of seats allocated to each district. Seat distribution at both the governorate and district levels will be based on 2010 census data. Only electoral college members can run for, and vote in, these district elections. Voting for the 210-member People's Assembly is scheduled between September 15 and 20. Notably, the committee's composition and participatory approach mark a departure from previous transitional efforts. Crucially, it moves away from the dominance of a single actor – most notably Hayat Tahrir Al Sham – that characterised earlier initiatives. The current 11-member body is more diverse: seven members formerly affiliated with the formal opposition, two linked to the HTS-led Salvation Government, and two independent civic figures. While the inclusion of just two women falls far short of equitable, it nonetheless represents a modest step towards greater female participation. Procedurally, the committee has adopted a more transparent and consultative stance than many of its predecessors. It has held public forums and provincial outreach meetings to present its proposed electoral framework and solicit feedback. Several procedural safeguards have also been introduced, including a period for submitting objections related to the selection of electoral bodies and candidate nominations, as well as the establishment of appeal committees to review these challenges. The committee has also committed to enforcing representation quotas, including a minimum of 20 per cent for women and 2-3 per cent for people with disabilities. Syria's legislative reboot is urgently needed to break from the legal and political legacy of the former establishment Beneath the surface, however, the process remains fraught with significant ambiguities. Despite the committee's outreach efforts, critical questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the formation of provincial electoral subcommittees. While officials claim these bodies will be neutral and thoroughly vetted, there is no clarity on how members will be nominated or what standards will be used to assess their independence. The small size of these two-person subcommittees compounds concerns. Tasked with selecting district-level electoral colleges and consulting local communities to ensure inclusivity, expecting two individuals to fulfil such responsibilities for an entire province within two weeks strains credibility. Their limited size also makes them more vulnerable to political manipulation, especially in a context shaped by deep-rooted factional loyalties and regional power dynamics. If those making selections are politically aligned or handpicked by vested interests, the process risks being compromised. There is also uncertainty over how representation quotas, such as 20 per cent for women and a 70/30 split between professionals and traditional notables, will be enforced. Allocating seats at the district rather than provincial level makes these targets even harder to achieve. Most districts will have only one seat, increasing the likelihood of elites dominating at the expense of technically qualified professionals and leaving women well short of the 20 per cent threshold. While reserving one third of seats for presidential appointments could help mitigate these imbalances, relying on this mechanism merely to 'tick boxes' risks weakening the assembly's functional capacity in favour of meeting representational benchmarks. Compounding these challenges is the lack of clarity on how members will be chosen from areas outside Damascus's authority, particularly Sweida and the north-east. Selecting representatives from these regions without political agreements that secure the buy-in of respective de facto authorities risks entrenching Syria's fragmentation. This is particularly concerning as the legislative body represents the last missing piece in completing the country's core transitional institutions. Perhaps most concerning is the lack of clarity on monitoring. While observers are expected to be involved, crucial questions remain. Who will select and train them? At which stages of the process will they be present? If observation is limited to the final vote, their role will be largely symbolic. In reality, the early phases – forming subcommittees and district electoral bodies – are where foundational decisions are made and where the potential for manipulation is greatest. These stages require the same level of oversight, if not more, as the final vote. Syria's legislative reboot is urgently needed to break from the legal and political legacy of the former establishment and set the country on a path towards meaningful reform. But this process is more than a bureaucratic milestone, it is a test of the transitional authorities' political will to chart a truly inclusive course for the country. If Syrians are to believe in their leaders, the process must prove that it is not simply about filling seats, but about laying the foundations for a state that serves all its citizens.
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
Trump to host Azerbaijan-Armenia peace summit and sign economic agreements
US President Donald Trump will meet the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington on Friday for a peace summit aimed at ending decades of conflict and reopening key transport routes in the region. The two countries in the South Caucasus region will sign an agreement that will create a major transit corridor, to be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, the White House said. That route will connect mainland Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhchivan region – a demand from Baku that had held up peace talks between the two nations. 'The road map they are agreeing to will build a co-operative future that benefits both countries, their region of the South Caucasus and beyond,' White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. The transit corridor will 'allow unimpeded connectivity between the two countries while respecting Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and its people'. Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan are separated by a 32km patch of Armenian territory. In addition, both Armenia and Azerbaijan will sign deals with the US meant to bolster co-operation in energy, technology and the economy, the White House said. 'These two Nations have been at War for many years, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people,' Mr Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. 'Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to 'TRUMP.'' He added that the economic agreements with the US will 'fully unlock the potential of the South Caucasus Region'. Mr Trump will meet the leaders separately, and then all three will participate in a signing ceremony. The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia was over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory disputed since the Soviet era. The two nations battled for control of the region through violent clashes that left tens of thousands dead over nearly four decades, while international mediation efforts failed. It ended in 2023 after Baku reclaimed the territory, long recognised as belonging to Azerbaijan but which was held by Armenia for decades. The two countries have since been working to normalise relations. Armenia and Azerbaijan held peace talks in Abu Dhabi in July, during which both sides agreed to continue bilateral negotiations and 'confidence-building measures'. President Sheikh Mohamed said the decision to hold the talks in the UAE emphasised that the country is trusted as a supporter of peace and diplomatic solutions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Mr Trump has positioned himself as a peacemaker and has claimed to have ended five conflicts so far. He has expressed his desire several times to win a Nobel Peace Prize. The Armenia-Azerbaijan deal comes as a political blow to Russia, as the two countries fall within its sphere of influence and Moscow had attempted for decades to bring the conflict to a close. It also comes as the US attempts to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Bloomberg reported on Friday that Washington and Moscow were aiming to reach a deal to halt the war that would lock in Russia's occupation of territory seized during its military invasion.
