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Azerbaijani Minister of Industry: There are many projects Azerbaijan and Romania are interested in
Romania and Azerbaijan are interested in many projects, relations between the two states developing progressively over time, said on Thursday Azerbaijan's Minister of Industry and Energy Natiq Aliyev in a meeting, in Baku, with the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Valeriu Zgonea, and other representatives of the Romanian Parliament and Government.
'Romania has been and remains a friend of Azerbaijan. Relations between our states have developed progressively and there is more evidence to this end. An example is the high-level visits, of the president, but also the relations between parliaments. In 2008, we signed a cooperation agreement and, in 2010, a memorandum of understanding. As well, relations in the field of energy further develop. There are several projects that we are interested in ', Natiq Aliyev pointed out.
He stressed that Azerbaijan has energy security and wants to provide the same thing to the countries in eastern and southern Europe.
'Azerbaijan has rich resources and new deposits were discovered. We have gas resources of 2.6 trillion cubic meters. The oil production is 41 million tons per year and that of gas is of 28 billion cubic meters. Production of oil is stable, but in respects of the gas one we expect an increase. Gas export capacity is currently limited. We have the TAP (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) project for the export of natural gas. We have a solid legislative basis, enabling the implementation of this project in the future. From the legal point of view there are no problems. Azerbaijan does no longer have financial problems and can finance this project. The fact that it wanted to finance the project in a proportion of 80 percent proves that Azerbaijan has serious intentions to see this project implemented. We have an energy cooperation agreement, aimed at the delivery of Azeri gas to Romania. The Baku Declaration was signed, on the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania pipeline (AGRI). I do not know why, but things go ahead with much difficulty. There were problems with financing this project', Azerbaijan's Minister of Energy also said.
The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Valeriu Zgonea, told the Azerbaijan's official that Romania can come to this country with know-how and Romania can be used as a gateway to the European Union. 'It's a very powerful message the fact that I came here with a numerous delegation. You're the best friend of Romania in this area and Romania can bring here the know-how in various fields ', Valeriu Zgonea underlined.
In turn, the Minister Delegate for Infrastructure Projects of National Interest and Foreign Investment, Dan Sova, signaled that Romania and Azerbaijan have a close political cooperation, but the economic cooperation should be improved. He stressed that Romania is interested, via the Western Nabucco project, in the Azerbaijani gas, the same as Azerbaijan is interested in selling natural gas on the European market.