Kiev eyes role of Black Sea and Caspian region in European and global energy security

Ukraine’s capital Kiev hosted international round table on "The Role of the Black Sea and Caspian region in European and global energy security." Forum was organized by National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS) under the President of Ukraine and the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SAM) with the support of Azerbaijan diplomatic mission in Kiev.

Event was opened by Director of Ukraine’s NISS Andriy Ermolaev, who thanked the Azerbaijani embassy for help in organizing the forum.

In turn, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Kiev Eynulla Madatli welcomed leaders of NISS and SAM, his colleagues from the countries of the Black Sea-Caspian region, the Secretary General of GUAM Valery Chechelashvili, other participants and gave a brief digression into the history of diplomatic relations between the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Ukrainian People’s Republic in the distant 1918.

Current relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Ukraine can be described as strategic partnership, he said.

Deputy Director of SAM Gulshan Pashayeva also addressed the forum. She emphasized the role of the region as one of the major routes of transportation of oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe increased over the past decade. Pashayeva stressed, it is important both for the EU in terms of energy security of Europe as well as for oil and gas transit countries to ensure their economic security.

It is a unique combination of geo-strategic location and the presence of rich oil and gas reserves, stressed Pashayeva, on the one hand, caused long-term interest to Azerbaijan from leading international and regional players, and on the other - put complex task of determining its own geopolitical and geo-economic priorities before the young independent state.

Diplomatic success in recent years, said Pashayeva indicate that Azerbaijan was able to successfully defend its sovereign national interest, blocking numerous attempts to transform the country into the arena of confrontation.

Secretary General of GUAM during the first session discussed the role of GUAM in the implementation of advanced energy projects in the Black Sea-Caspian region.
The second session on "energy transport corridors in the Black Sea-Caspian region" was moderated by the Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Analysis of SAM Rovshan Ibragimov.

Ibragimov delivered a lecture on "The relevance of Caspian Sea region's energy resources in the energy security of Black Sea region."

Foreign diplomats, experts and senior representatives of the Ukrainian government agencies, analysts and others spoke at the conference.

Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the National Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Ukraine and the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan was signed. Document was signed by Andriy Ermolaev and Gulshan Pashayeva.


/AzerTAc/