Greek Prime Minister: "Greece will be the first European country to import natural gas directly from Azerbaijan"

"Talks between Greece and Azerbaijan do not mean any changes in the strategy in the policy we are following", said Karamanlis as an answer to the question of the journalist, who took an interest in whether Greece's intention to change the approach to the energy cooperation with Russia.

"Supplies of natural gas from Azerbaijan on the bilateral level in the framework of the agreement, which we strive to reach or on the multilateral level via the planned gas pipeline to connect Turkey, Greece and Italy (TGI) have always been the focus of our policy. Naturally we discussed these definite issues with Mr.Aliyev and especially the promotion of plans on TGI", noted Karamanlis.

Assessing relations with Russia as "wonderful", the Greek Minister noted: "On the basis of the defined plan we are advancing to implementation of two largest projects that will also promote diversification of energy sources and routes of import of oil and gas to Europe", implying the projects of the South flow gas pipeline and Burgas-Alexandrupolis pipeline.

At the same time, Karamanlis also noted that Greece intends to purchase gas in Azerbaijan: "Greece will be the first country in Europe to import natural gas direcly from Azerbaijan by the TGI gas pipeline".

At the same time he did not specify the volumes of the plans to purchase Azerbaijani gas.

As is known, Greece in cooperation with Russia and Bulgaria is implementing the project of the Burgas-Alexandrupolis pipeline to unload the Black Sea straits and assist to the transit of Russian oil to the European market.

Moreover, Greece joined the project of the South flow gas pipeline on which Russian gas will be supplied to the markets of South and Central Europe.

Under the plan of the project authors, the TGI gas pipeline will connect Turkey with Western Europe and become one of the five main routes of gas transportation in EU.

/Narodnoye radio/