Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey failed to reach a compromise

"Georgia failed to give a guarantee to Azerbaijan and Turkey that it will be able to repay the 2007 debt either in cash or gas, Aliyev told reporters adding that gas price will change year-to-year.

In an interview with Azerbaijan's abc.az news agency, Aliyev noted Azerbaijan may pay USD 58 per 1000 cu. m of gas. "It is planned that Georgia will receive gas for the same price. However, this issue has to be negotiated and therefore is subject to change, Aliyev commented for Regnum, Russian news agency.

Talks over Azeri gas which will be transported via Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum pipeline from Azerbaijan's Shah-Deniz field launched in Baku last week and lasted for several days.

The sides were to negotiate details on legal procedures and commercial particularities concerning the agreement. The trilateral talks are led by the Georgian International Gas Corporation, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Turkish Botach.

During last week's talks held in Tbilisi, the sides agreed that in 2007, Georgia and Azerbaijan would receive part of the Azeri gas designed for Turkey.

According to reports, Georgia will be provided with 250 cu. m of gas from Shah-Deniz field having to pay USD 63 per 1000 cu. m gas. Besides, it will receive additional 800 m cu. m of gas from Turkey's share which would make up 58.3% of Georgia's annul consumption of gas in 2007. GBC

/The Georgian Times/