Baku, May 24, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation of members of the BP Board led by chairman of the Board Carl-Henric Svanberg and including BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley.

Hailing the fact that the BP Group convened in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said this was symbolic. The head of state said very important projects had been implemented in Azerbaijan under BP-Azerbaijan cooperation, which spans more than 20 years. The President pointed to the dynamics of development of BP-Azerbaijan cooperation, describing these years as a period of the country`s economic development. President Ilham Aliyev said he was proud that Azerbaijan became a modern, developing country, adding that this was possible through huge investments made in the energy sector. Saying that vital projects had been implemented in the fields of production, exploration, transportation and others in Azerbaijan ever since, the head of state stressed that the country was on the verge of realizing an energy project, which was of not only regional, but also global importance. Highlighting the significance of the Southern Gas Corridor project in terms of energy security and diversification, President Ilham Aliyev said the project would contribute to the expansion of cooperation among many countries. Thanking BP for remaining committed to its cooperation with Azerbaijan, the head of state emphasized the significance of the fact that the company had a reliable partner in Azerbaijan such as the State Oil Company. The Azerbaijani President said SOCAR-BP cooperation spanned 22 years, expressing his confidence that this collaboration would successfully continue in the years to come. President Ilham Aliyev said the visit created a good opportunity for those members of the BP delegation who were in Azerbaijan for the first time to closely familiarize themselves with the country.

Chairman of the BP Board Carl-Henric Svanberg said he witnessed great changes in Azerbaijan since his last visit, adding that they were deeply impressed by the development processes in capital Baku. He hailed Azerbaijan`s hosting high-profile international events, including Eurovision, European Games and Formula 1, adding that the foundations of all these accomplishments were laid with the signing of the Contract of the Century through leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Hailing BP-Azerbaijan partnership as strong, Carl-Henric Svanberg said they were proud of being involved in the projects aimed at ensuring development of the region. Highlighting the importance of Shahdeniz-2 and Southern Gas Corridor projects, he said they will contribute to long-term cooperation between BP and Azerbaijan.