Policy Mikta Countries Discuss Future of Natural Gas

Representatives from Mikta nations – Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia – recently met in Paris to discuss the future of natural gas and review gas-security issues in their countries at a gathering supported by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The high profile meeting was recently held to review and set new initiatives for the natural gas industry.

Paris/France — Ambassadors from the five Mikta nations as well as officials from the United States, Poland and the Slovak Republic also took part in the Symposium on Natural Gas, which was opened by Turkish Ambassador H.E. Erdem Başçı, the current Chair of Mikta.

Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director, opened the first session with a presentation on the need for increasing transparency and liquidity of the gas market. Mikta serves as a cross-regional consultative platform to increase mutual understanding, deepen bilateral ties, and find common grounds for co-operation between its five member countries.

Despite vast difference in geography and economies, the Mikta countries share an interest in the future of natural gas. Mexico has recently reformed its upstream sector to encourage development of domestic resources, Indonesia is one of the pioneers of the LNG industry and a long time exporter. While Korea is the second largest LNG importer globally, Australia is one of the largest LNG exporters in the world, and Turkey is expanding its role as a physical hub on natural gas supply routes to southeast Europe.

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