Russia: Courting Azerbaijan for Natural Gas

Russia's Gazprom is in talks with Azerbaijan to purchase natural gas. Europe and Iran have also been courting Azerbaijan for its natural gas, but Gazprom has announced it is now willing to pay the same as, if not more than, the Europeans and Iranians are offering. If Azerbaijan reaches an agreement with Gazprom, it could cut off one of Europe's options for diversifying its natural gas supplies away from Russia, while enabling Moscow to keep its natural gas exports flowing westward.