Azerbaijan, Ukraine enjoy successful energy cooperation

 “Azerbaijan and Ukraine successfully continue mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of energy”, Azeri ambassador to Ukraine Eynulla Madatli told the Ukrainian media on Monday.
The diplomat emphasized that high-level talks are underway. “The sides have a political will to settle and deepen cooperation in the field of energy supply,” he said. In particular, Ukraine is in talks to become involved in the construction of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), a 2,000 kilometres pipeline which will link Azerbaijani fields with European consumers via Georgia and Turkey.

He added that supplying Caspian energy resources to the European market through Ukraine would be conducive to stability, economic growth and security in the region. “The project is of interest both for Azerbaijan and Ukraine as it opens up a way to Europe and at the same time it enables the delivery of gas to Ukraine without building additional pipeline infrastructure,” he said.

The ambassador noted that TANAP is open to all interested companies. "Azerbaijan owns 80 percent stake in the Trans-Anatolian pipeline. The country will hold 51% of shares and sell 29% to partners. If Ukraine, one of the potential major gas consumers, participates in a consortium to build Trans-Anatolian pipeline, we will be happy, because Azerbaijan is interested in Ukraine’s energy independence and energy security”, he said.

According to Madatli, “Azerbaijan and Ukraine have a potential to deepen cooperation, for example, under the Sarmatia project.” Earlier, Azerbaijan, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia and Lithuania agreed on the completion of the Odessa-Brody pipeline to Plotsk and Gdansk and set up a joint venture for the Sarmatia. Feasibility study for the project is ready, and now the project is under the development. “Currently, Poland, Ukraine, together with the European Union are discussing several issues to update the Odessa-Brody pipeline," said the diplomat.
The diplomat believes that today the prospects for the completion of the Odessa-Brody pipeline to Plotsk and Gdansk are not bad. "All parties are interested in the completion of this project. Also, this project can get additional development if the oil is shipped by tankers to the port of Constanta in Romania, and then to Ukraine via the Odessa-Brody pipeline,” he said.


/AzerTAc/