ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the attractiveness of Central Asia's energy reserves for contributing to the European Union's (EU) energy security. It focuses on the chances of the EU to successfully secure itself a stake in the oil and gas resources of the Central Asian region against the background of the interests of other external players in the region. The analysis has shown that the EU faces three types of co-players in its struggle for Caspian energy resources: the first category is made of the second-tier powers Turkey and Iran. Given that the EU is already actively supporting current and future energy export infrastructure that uses Turkish territory as a main transit route, the EU and Turkey can undoubtedly be considered strategic partners in the New Great Game. It is therefore improbable that increased EU engagement in the energy sector will meet with opposition from in Iran.
