EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER: AZERBAIJAN PLAYS KEY ROLE AS ENERGY PRODUCER

Trend
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan plays a major role as a producer and transit country,
European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy
Stefan Fule said before his upcoming visit to Baku.

The statement notes that energy is central to EU-Azerbaijan relations.

"Europe offers an attractive market for producers looking to diversify
their customer structure," he was quoted by the EU Baku Office as
saying. "This provides a basis for constructive relations benefiting
both Azerbaijan and Europe."

The commissioner expressed hope for Azerbaijan’s continued commitment
to develop the Southern Corridor, which will facilitate gas transport
from Azerbaijan and the wider region to Europe. European companies
are prime investors in developing Azerbaijan’s full hydrocarbon
export potential.

The Southern Corridor is a priority EU energy project. The project
aims to diversify routes and supply sources, thus increasing EU energy
security. The Nabucco gas pipeline, which is the main element of the
Southern Corridor Project, aims to transport gas from the Caspian
region and the Middle East to the EU. Azerbaijan is considered as a
potential gas supplier for the project.