OFFICIAL NEWS
AZERBAIJAN TO CONTINUE COOPERATION WITH USA IN DEVELOPMENT OF CASPIAN ENERGY RESOURCES
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV MEETS US SENIOR ADVISER FOR CASPIAN BASIN ENERGY DIPLOMACY
Having sincerely welcomed the guest, President Ilham Aliyev described the ceremony of signing final financial package on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project to be held in Baku as a very remarkable event. According to him, this U.S.-supported project has played a great role in bringing relationship between the two countries up to the higher level.
The President said in the course of realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, along with financial problems, United States and Azerbaijan have managed to solve successfully a number of important tasks including ensuring environmental protection. The Head of State expressed his gratitude to the US Government for support of this important project, and noted that putting into operation of the main export pipeline would promote not only economic development but also strengthening security in the region. He expressed confidence in continuation of cooperation with the United States in realization of both Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and any other energy projects.
Ambassador Steven Mann highly appreciated Azerbaijan leadership’s activity in realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project noting that the pipeline would foster economic development of Azerbaijan and really improve social conditions of the population. Mr. Mann stressed the United State Government would continue to support Caspian energy projects.
Taking the guest back to the times when the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project faced serious problems and obstacles, President Ilham Aliyev stressed that the project then taken by many as a myth, due to President Heydar Aliyev’s efforts had surmounted all the hindrances, and is now being successfully implemented. The Head of State reminded as well that the foundation of the successful oil strategy was laid by our nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev in 1994.
Highly appraising the support of the large-scale energy projects implementing in Azerbaijan by the international financial structures, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his confidence that the experience in cooperation with them would also promote successful realization of the “Shakhdaniz” and other energy projects.
The meeting was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish.