CONCLUDING PRESS CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN
Answering to the questions of journalists Elmar Mamedyarov said that diplomatic efforts in the south of the Caspian region will yield the same results we have achieved in the north.
According to him, the problem of the Caspian Sea status was successfully solved in the north (Russian-Azeri and Russian-Kazakh separate agreements on the use of the energy and biological resources of the Caspian Sea, which was divided by Vladimir Putin's principle on common water area and separation of the bottom).
Speaking about contradictions between Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan concerning a number of disputable oil fields, Mr. Mamedyarov said that this problem was not serious. "The negotiations are underway, and we should be patient and let experts and diplomats continue their work," he stressed.
The Azeri foreign minister pointed out the energy aspect in Russian-Azeri economic cooperation.
"The LUKoil company currently works in Azerbaijan and we offer possibilities for other companies," Elmar Mamedyarov noted.
Azerbaijan is involved in a number of projects on the construction of a transport corridor from Russia via Azerbaijan and Iran to the Persian Gulf.
In particular, both Russia and Iran finance the building of the North-South railway corridor, the minister added.
In his words, Azerbaijan has completed the construction of the railway branch line in Astara, on the Azeri-Iranian border. On its part, Iran is building railway in its town of the same name. "When a railway bridge between these towns is completed, the corridor will start functioning. The agreement on the construction of the bridge has been achieved," Mr. Mamedyarov said.
Moreover, Iran has allocated $40 million on the building of a temporary highway connecting its borders with Baku, he reported. The construction of a highway linking Baku with Russian borders is under discussion, as well, the minister added.
Azerbaijan is negotiating with Greece on the future gas supplies in this country, Elmar Mamedyarov noted.
"Our gas needs consumers. We have signed deals with Georgia and Turkey and are negotiating with Greece," he said in reply to a question about the Azeri gas exports.
"I believe that we shall find other consumers in Europe after Greece," the minister continued.
In his opinion, oil should be in the focus, not gas. "We expect the first tankers with Azeri oil to put off the port of Ceyhan (Turkey) next summer," he stressed adding that about 1 million barrels would be daily transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.
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