Günther Oettinger: 2011 will be decisive year in direction of realization of Nabucco project

"Nabucco – as a new significant component on the way to integration into Europe’s energy infrastructure" was held at Austria’s embassy in Berlin, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Azerbaijani embassy in Germany said the aim of the event was to discuss the prospects and challenges of European energy policy by the example of Nabucco. Head of OMV company and chairman of the Nabucco Steering Committee Werner Auli said that Europe’s annual demand for gas is 500 billion cu m, 300 cu m of it is imported.

He noted that the increase of European market’s gas demand in future increases the importance of Nabucco project. He said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso’s visit to Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in January this year, signing of “Joint Declaration on Southern Gas Corridor” by President Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Commission are of great importance for the realization of this project.

EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger addressed the event in capacity of the main speaker. Energy Commissioner said Azerbaijan plays an important role in Europe’s energy security, as well as Nabucco project, underlined that Baku is ready for lasting constructive energy partnership.

He also noted that Nabucco project would be tourism door to the region. Thereafter, Oettinger said that this pipeline would be the next step taken in direction of branching of import of natural gas to Europe. He noted that 2011 would be decisive year in this regard.

He said that the signing of Joint Statement on South gas corridor signed by the President Ilham Aliyev and European Commission President within the framework of Jose Manuel Barosso’s visit to Azerbaijan in January of current year was an important step. He expressed his hope that cooperation between the EU, European institutions and Azerbaijan in energy partnership sphere would continue successfully.

Touching upon Azerbaijan’s reliable partnership, Parviz Shahbazov said that Azerbaijan realizes clear and transparent energy policy since the middle of 1990s. He said that millions of foreign capital had been attracted to the country as a result of successful energy policy. Today, Azerbaijan transfers oil and gas resources via different routes.

Moreover, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology Jochen Homann, CEO of the RWE Supply & Trading GmbH Stefan Judisch, Director General for Energy and Mining issue of Austria Alfred Maier delivered speeches at the event as well.


/APA/