Targeted Euro-Azerbaijani gas deals?
The Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has met the Azerbaijani prime minister, Artur Rasizade, and president, Ilham Aliyev, during a two-day visit to the country, where the two sides discussed the economy, energy and related matters.
At his meeting with Artur Rasizade, the Bulgarian prime minister discussed how the relations between the two countries in the areas of food industry, agriculture, transport and culture.
At the end of the meeting, Rasizade stated that ‘the political relations are on a high level, but we should try to expand and deepen economic, cultural and humanitarian relations between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan’. In addition, the Azerbaijani PM also said ‘I am sure that this visit will become a symbol for the development of our relations and to deepen our cooperation’.
Perhaps the most important topic discussed between the two leaders was the supply and transportation of gas from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria.
Borisov stated after the meeting ‘Azerbaijan is the only alternative for Russian gas for eastern Europe. This is why the most important task now is to clarify the matter with the European Union and whether this is feasible’.
According to the Bulgarian PM, this idea was still just a plan and nothing had been done yet in order to be implemented. He also said that ‘if there is no inter connection via Turkey, the word diversification will remain only in the sphere of political propaganda’.
After his meeting with the Azerbaijani PM, Borisov also talked to the president of the country, Ilham Aliyev. They discussed opportunities for expanding the bi-lateral relations, more specifically, to boosting energy cooperation and innovation.
‘Bulgaria might be the first country in Europe to be supplied with Azerbaijani gas after 2014’ stated president Aliyev after a memorandum of understanding between the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and State Oil Company (SOCAR) in Azerbaijan was signed. The ‘blue fuel’ is expected to be transported through the so called southern gas corridor.
According to the Bulgarian ministry of economics, Bulgaria was ‘one of the few countries in Europe to which Azerbaijan was committed to supply the necessary volumes of natural gas’.
Interesting to point out, is that the visit of the Bulgarian PM to Azerbaijan was preceded by a visit of the President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, to Bulgaria. Its main topic was the role of Bulgaria in the field of renewable energy, and in particular the country’s participation in the Nabucco pipeline project.
During his visit to Bulgaria, Van Rompuy was given an introduction by Borisov on the available options for alternative supplies of natural and the idea of ensuring gas supplies from Azerbaijan through Georgia.
The Russian news agency ‘RosBusinessConsulting’ (RBC, РБК) said that the EC and Azerbaijan can agree on Trans-Caspian project in the middle of the year.
The agency reported on the statement of the European Commissioner for energy, Günther Oettinger, who said during the conference on ‘Energy Dialogue Russia - EU: Gas Aspect’, that ‘the talks between the European Commission and Azerbaijan on guarantees for the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline could be finalised by in mid-2012’
In addition, Oettinger said that it was not in the Commission’s functions to give guarantees, but its main role was to organize the work.
As the agency explained, the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline was a major project to supply gas to Europe through the ‘Southern Corridor’. In September 2011 the EU Council of Ministers approved a mandate for negotiations with Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan over the gas pipeline under the Caspian Sea.
Additionally, RBC also said that the plans included transportation of gas through the Trans-Caspian to Nabucco gas pipeline which was considered to be the main competitor of the Russian ‘South stream’.
Furthermore, the news agency informed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia expressed regret about the decision of the EU negotiations on the construction of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, as it was made without an existing international law norm and without a serious consideration of the geopolitical situation in the Caspian basin.
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