Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Department of State have agreed to create a working group for energy security issues, visiting Washington Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said in an interview with a correspondent of the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia, ITAR-TASS, following his speech at the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

The Minister said he will meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and they will sign a memorandum of understanding to set up a consultative body to deal with energy security issues.

According to Mr. Mammadyarov, all issues concerning transportation of oil and gas, as well as exploitation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, delivery of Azerbaijan’s gas to Europe, gas price regulation and other issues will be discussed by the body.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Bryza, told reporters that to become a huge alternative for gas delivery in Europe, Azerbaijan needs to realize, as soon as possible, its plans to construct new gas pipelines to deliver its gas to Italy and Greece.

As part of his Washington visit, Elmar Mammadyarov also met with Senator Richard Lugar.

The Azerbaijani FM is also scheduled to meet with Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation John Rood and Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and have talks at the White House, Department of State and the Pentagon.

Elmar Mammadyarov’s visit will end Friday.