Europe considers Azerbaijan the main partner in the region- Roland Kobia

6 İyun 2012 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

Europe considers Azerbaijan the main partner in the region, Head of EU representation in Azerbaijan, ambassador Roland Kobia said on behalf of the EU energy commissar Günther Oettinger during his speech at the 19th Caspian International Oil and Gas Exhibition held in Baku.

‘Azerbaijan’s economy passed through big development period during the independence years. Now, Azerbaijan became the leading oil-gas supplier. Its achievements in oil-gas industry are obvious – transparent contract terms, long-term cooperation opportunity, conditions created for foreign companies and SOCAR’s high-level activity. Azerbaijan is a global oil-gas supplier’, said ambassador.

Touching upon the role of Azerbaijan in the European energy security, Kobia said that direct close relations would be developed with Europe, the strategic energy partners would be found and this would strengthen the sovereignty of Azerbaijan: ‘Some confusions may occur in negotiations with buyers, but Europe considers Azerbaijan the most important partner in this region’.

Kobia said that if the relevant conceptual issues are resolved, the Trans-Anadolu gas pipeline will meet the requirements for gas supply of o Europe.

The Ambassador said that the EU is currently trying to regulate the negotiations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, and extend transportation: ‘Europe wants to become a stable buyer’.