The issue of opening borders with Armenia was put an end after Turkish senior officials' unequivocal statements: President of Azerbaijan - UPDATED

16:50

Azerbaijan has close ties with Russia and there is no need to take additional steps given temporarily uncertain situation, CNN TURK television channel quoted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying at a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13.

"Azerbaijan is for establishing friendly relations with all countries. The Azerbaijan-Russia relations have a long history and these relations are important for both sides. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev paid one of his first foreign visits to Azerbaijan last year. Azerbaijan and Russia signed an agreement on friendship and strategic partnership during the visit. This agreement is of great political significance," the Azerbaijani president said.

The President said Azerbaijan seeks close ties with all countries. "Azerbaijan has build relations with neighbor countries on the basis of respect, trust and non-interference into each-other's affairs," the president said.

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16:45

The issue of opening borders with Armenia was put an end after Turkish senior officials' unequivocal statements. I think it is already a history and we must not return to it, CNN TURK television channel quoted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying at a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13.

"The Armenian media has reported on opening of borders since early February. Inappropriate interpretation of these reports caused suspicions in Azerbaijani society. Senior officials from various countries assessed nominalization of Turkey-Armenia relations as an achieved fact. Of course, Azerbaijan had suspicions in this case. These suspicions were put an end in mid-April," Aliyev said.

Azerbaijani President said Turkey and Azerbaijan make joint efforts to ensure peace in the region.

"Turkey-Azerbaijan ties are multi-faceted. These relations have a long history. Our nations lived and created together. As an independent state, we take advantage of our opportunities to develop bilateral relations and make joint efforts to ensure peace in the region," the Azerbaijan president said.

President Aliyev said Turkey and Azerbaijan demonstrate unified position on many international issues.

"As we live in the region, we want a peace to be established in the region and Azerbaijan's territorial integrity to be restored as soon as possible so that the region could develop within cooperation. I am satisfied with talks we held and conversations we had. I believe sincere conversations clarified some issues as they did usually. The most important is that it provided a very good ground for future joint action and cooperation," President Aliyev added.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met face to face in Baku on May 13

The meeting focused on the current state of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in political, economic and other fields. The sides discussed the regional and international issues.

The Turkish prime minister arrived in Baku in the evening on May 12. Erdogan arrived in Baku in the accompany of his wife Amina Erdogan, State Minister Zefer Chaglayan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Culture and Tourism Minister Ertogrul Gunay, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz and Transport Minister Binali Yildirim.

Turkish PM visited the grave of Azerbaijani National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the Cemetery of Honors.

Later Erdogan visited Martyrs' Lane to commemorate memory of the victims who died for independence of Azerbaijan, and the memorial complex of the Turkish soldiers in Baku.

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16:40

To launch Phase 2 of the Shah Deniz project requires certain conditions, including presence of gas sale contract and transit agreement, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Baku on May 13 which was lively aired via the CNN Turk TV channel.

The ongoing Phase 1 of the Shah Deniz project envisages production of more than 9 billion cubic meters of gas. These volumes are sold to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. Total production in the field will be increased to 20 billion cubic meters a year under Phase 2, to be sanctioned after 2014.

The president said currently the minimum proved gas reserves of Azerbaijan comprise two trillion cubic meters and this figure can be doubled by additional drilling.

Azerbaijan directly supplies gas to Turkey and Georgia, and the volume of supply can be increased in the coming years, the president said.
  
"Azerbaijan makes its contribution to energy security of Europe and will continue to do so," Ilham Aliyev said.

The Azerbaijani president said Azerbaijan successfully pursues multi-faceted policy and diversification of supply in the oil and gas sector. "This policy meets our interests," the president said.

The contract on development of off-shore Shah Deniz field was signed on 4 June 1996. The sides to the contract are ?? (operator - 25.5%), Statoil (25.5%), SOCAR (10%), LukAgip (10%), NICO (10%), Total (10%), and TPAO (9%). Field's reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas.

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16:35

The contract on sale of the Azerbaijani gas produced in the Shah Deniz field envisages re-consideration of its cost, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan aired lively via the CNN Turk TV channel.

"Under the contract, prices for the Azerbaijani gas depend on world oil prices. It would be incorrect to connect the issue [re-consideration of the gas prices for Turkey] with the situation that may occur, is occurring or will not occur in the region," Ilham Aliyev said.

The Turkish prime minister said at the news conference that price for the Azerbaijani gas will be re-considered during the negotiations between the two countries' energy agencies.

Turkey buys Azerbaijani gas at $120 for 1,000 cubic meters. The contract also stipulates that the gas price can be considered a year after the supplies is launched. So, new prices (which the sides are negotiating) will be applied beginning from April 15, 2008.

Under the contract, 6.6 billion cubic meters of gas will be transported to Turkey via Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum per year as part of the Shah Deniz-1.

Shah Deniz partners plan to achieve this volume in 2009.

The contract on Shah Deniz off-shore field development was signed on 4 June 1996. The sides to the contract are ?? (operator - 25.5%), Statoil (25.5%), SOCAR (10%), LukAgip (10%), NICO (10%), Total (10%), and TPAO (9%). Field's reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas.

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15:59

Baku and Ankara are working together to ensure peace in the region, said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to CNN Turk

"The cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan covers many areas, and these relations have a great history. Our people have lived and worked together. Today, we are using their abilities, make joint efforts for the development of bilateral ties, as well as to ensure peace in the region", said the President.

According to Ilham Aliyev, Turkey and Azerbaijan mostly support the same position in international matters.

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15:50

Turkish-Armenian border will not open until the complete liberation of Nagorno Karabakh, said Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to  CNN Turk.

Fraternal relations of Azerbaijan and Turkey have never been the subject of discussion, said Erdogan.

According to him, Turkey has never permitted and will not allow speculation on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Turkey closed its border with Yerevan in connection with the occupation  of Nagorno Karabakh by Armenia", said the Prime Minister.

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15:30

Azerbaijani-Turkish relations will continue to evolve in a positive way, said Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan at an expanded meeting with representatives of Azerbaijani government, according to Turkish TV channel TRT-2.

We have never allowed a deterioration of the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have been corrupted and will never allow this in the future, said R. T. Erdogan.

The Prime Minister of Turkey said that they would put joint efforts to further develop bilateral relations.

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14:35

Day.Az reports with reference to Azertac that Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in political, economic and other spheres, including regional and international issues.

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14:00

Day.Az reports with reference to Azerbaijan that President of Azerbaijan held a tete-a-tete meeting with Prime Minister Recep Teyyip Erdogan.

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13:25

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, visiting Baku saw the Martyr's Mosque and familiarized with the repair words held there.

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11:55

As part of the visit to Azerbaijan, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited National Leader Heydar Aliyev's grave at the Honor's cemetery.

Then Erdogan visited the Martyrs' Lane and commemorated memory of the victims who died for independence of Azerbaijan and the memorial complex of the Turkish soldiers.

The Turkish prime minister arrived in Baku in the evening on May 12. Erdogan will make speech at the Azerbaijani parliament and meet with President Ilham Aliyev during his official visit.

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10:47

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday night arrived in Baku.

During the official visit, which begins tomorrow, Erdogan will meet with President Ilham Aliyev and will speak in the parliament of Azerbaijan.

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