Azerbaijan is only new source of natural gas for Europe, Aliyev says

The president said Azerbaijan is playing an important role in the diversification of energy supplies.

"For 20 years, we have been implementing an oil strategy that created an absolutely new energy map in the region," Aliyev said. "We've connected the Caspian Sea with the Black Sea and Mediterranean via multiple oil pipeline systems. Today, oil from the Caspian Sea, not only from Azerbaijan, but also from the Eastern shores of the Caspian, is being shipped to international markets."

President Aliyev went on to speak about the biggest infrastructure project of Europe, where Azerbaijani again has shown initiative and took the lead.

"The Southern Gas Corridor consists of (several) segments - the development of one of the biggest gas fields in the world, that is Shah Deniz; construction of a new pipeline system to connect Azerbaijan and Georgia, that's the South Caucasian pipeline; the Trans-Anatolian pipeline, and Trans Adriatic pipeline, which will be constructed from the Turkish border, through Albania to Italy," Aliyev said.

Aliyev said the projects are difficult from a technical point of view, and they require broad coordination and cooperation.

"For that purpose, Azerbaijan in February initiated and held the first advisory board of the Southern Gas Corridor, which allowed all high-ranking representatives from the countries that I've named, plus representatives from the U.S. and the EU Commission to address this issue. And we've adopted a joint press statement,"  Aliyev said. "The leading role of Azerbaijan was clearly identified."

According to Azerbaijan's plans for 2018-2019, all the mentioned projects must be implemented, he stressed.

"In coming years, I am sure that the countries of the Balkan region will join our pipeline system. Now interconnectors are being built in Europe. We fully support this as Azerbaijan has enormous, huge gas reserves, infrastructure, which is already in the process of construction," he said.