President of Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received at the President Palace first vice-president of the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction Ms. Noreen Doyle, 3 February.

Greeting the guest, President Ilham Aliyev assessed the upcoming ceremony of signing of the financial documents on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project that she also will take part in, called this as an outcome of the general efforts for implementation of the project.

Noting that earlier the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan MEP seemed to many as legend, and that now as a result of expansion of the regional cooperation and activity of the foreign companies and international financial structures, it has become reality, head of the Azerbaijani state reminded that realization of the oil strategy of Azerbaijan started yen years ago. And since, the Country pursues a policy of open doors for the foreign investors. Despite numerous obstacles, Azerbaijan could cope with all these tasks and solved the accrued problems, President Ilham Aliyev said. Highly estimating the signing ceremony in Baku, the President said that successful completion of the project is an important step in the economic development of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. Stressing his confidence that Project will significantly strengthening economy of the countries, and these energy projects will guarantee peace and stability, President of Azerbaijan said that realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Project would be a great contribution in the development of cooperation in the region.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude to the world finance structures for rendering assistance to the Project and said that he would be pleased to see their representatives at the ceremony of commissioning of the oil pipeline.

Expressing her gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for reception despite of his busy schedule, Ms. Noreen Doyle said that she would be pleased with her participation at the ceremony of signing in Baku. Both Azerbaijan and the international financial structures have made enormous efforts for successful realization of the Project, she underlined. At her words, the BTC has great prospects, and the decisions on its financing would adjust them shortly. The Project promoted the South Caucasus in gaining world fame and was a bright example of cooperation of the neighbouring countries, she stressed.

Ms. Doyle said that operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan MEP would play important role in transportation of the Caspian energy resources to the world market and in the economic development of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.

President of the “BP-Azerbaijan” Company David Woodward, representatives of the international financial structures attended the reception.