Brussels, 30/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - Welcoming Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili to Brussels on Monday, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs spoke of Georgia's “growing importance” for the EU as a transit country for oil and gas from the Caspian Sea. Talking to press, Mr Piebalgs confirmed that their discussions had concentrated on the development, in Georgia, of energy transport routes from Baku in Azerbaijan. “If there are more hydrocarbons passing via Baku, then definitely we will need increased capacities in Georgia. I got full assurances (from the minister) that it will be regarded in a positive spirit,” said Mr Piebalgs. The EU, which sees the energy potential of Azerbaijan and the former Soviet republics of Asia as an alternative to hydrocarbon imports from Russia, is studying the possibility of opening new routes through the Caspian Sea or overland via Georgia and Turkey, to avoid having these supplies from Central Asia transiting through Russia. Georgia would like to strengthen its links with the EU to counterbalance its fraught relations with its Russian neighbour. Mr Bezhuashvili told press that his country shared a “common vision” with the EU on energy security. (eh)