Several European countries purchase 30-40% of oil from Azerbaijan - president

  17 February 2017    Read: 1187
Several European countries purchase 30-40% of oil from Azerbaijan - president
Several European countries purchase 30-40% of oil from Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan is known as a reliable transit and partner country in the region, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in his speech at the “On the Road to (Price) Stability? The return of OPEC and the Geopolitics of Oil” roundtable as part of the Munich Security Conference.

The head of the state noted that the energy security should not be separated from national security: “From this point of view, Azerbaijan plays its important role by providing the region with energy security. Regarding implementation of large-scale gas supply project, Azerbaijan will play its important role in providing of European energy security. Of course, while speaking about Azerbaijan’s role in and contribution to European energy security, we must go back to the beginning of Azerbaijan’s energy strategy in the mid-1990s. At that time, a country, which had both internal and external difficulties, 1 million homeless citizens after Armenian occupation, had been independent for only three years, had invited the world’s leading companies to the Caspian Sea. This was a historical step and a decision changing the situation both in Azerbaijan and the region. Now, this step has changed the energy map of the region”.

We just achieved making of investment in the country, which faced civil war, occupation and had 1 million refugees one year ago from that time. Investing in oil reserves was only way for us to strengthen our independence and eliminate the difficulties at that time. Therefore, the mid-1990 was an important period for us. We attracted investments, started production in the huge oil fields with the leading energy companies and set up pipeline system to transport our oil. No we have 7 pipelines, including 3 oil and 4 gas pipelines to all directions. Therefore, we firstly had to be able product our oil reserves in order to ensure our energy security, interests and improve welfare of our people. Thereafter, this project has turned into a regional cooperation project. These pipelines connects Azerbaijan with the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. These pipelines also serve ensuring of energy security of the countries which help us to transport our energy reserves.

Then we turned into a transit country for delivery of oil and oil products from the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea. So, Azerbaijan plays its important role in oil transportation via various means, railway and oil pipelines. At the same time, we help our partners located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea to diversify the supply routes. Because if we speak about the energy security, I think the diversification is the key term. By diversification, we often refer to diversification for consumers. We understand this. However, there is another diversification meant for manufacturers, especially when these manufacturers have no access to the open sea, as in the case of Azerbaijan”.

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