Greece emerges warm to SOCAR’s intention to take part in DEPA privatization

Greece welcomes SOCAR's desire to take part in the privatization of the Greek Public Gas Corporation DEPA, Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said at a briefing in Baku today.

Greece is open for investments and invites Azerbaijani investors to the country, he added.

Energy cooperation between Greece and Azerbaijan has a great potential for expansion, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said today.

There are no political problems for developing the cooperation between the two countries, Mammadyarov said.

SOCAR is one of the participants in the DEPA privatization tender. The Azerbaijani company's interest in participating in the privatization is based on the fact that the Greek DEPA operates with gas distribution networks and conducts other gas operations in Greece.

The contest for the DEPA purchase must be held on May 10. But the opening of envelopes with participants' requests has been repeatedly postponed. Last time it was expected to be held on April 12, but it was again postponed. Earlier, representatives of the Greek government and HRADF privatization agency stated that the decision on the DEPA privatization will be made until May 2013.

"I negotiated with the Azerbaijani leadership and we discussed a number of issues on bilateral cooperation," Avramopoulos said.

A Baku-Athens direct flight will be opened soon. This will bring the two countries even closer, Greek Foreign Minister said.


/Trend/