Bulgaria PM Ties Gas Supplies from Azerbaijan to Interconnection with Turkey

Energy | April 27, 2012, Friday // 15:08|  views

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov (left) met with Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister Artur Rasizade (right) in Baku on Friday. Photo by BGNES

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who is on a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan, has said that the main route for exporting Azeri gas to Bulgaria must cross Turkey.

Speaking after a Friday meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Artur Rasizade, Borisov insisted that there was no other option but the Bulgaria-Turkey gas grid interconnection to achieve a diversification of gas supplies.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed the importance of the cooperation with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and EC President Jose Barroso for the process.

"From the talks we held today and yesterday two things became clear to me. One is that it must be clarified whether Europe wants a real diversification of gas supplies. There is no other option than Azerbaijan to achieve this. This is why we shall put all our effort into clearing up the stance on the matter. If they do not allow us to build the gas grid interconnection with Turkey, which will carry Azerbaijani gas to Europe, then, in my opinion,  the word "diversification" does not exist as a term for the EU," Borisov said.

Azerbaijan's PM Artur Rasizade commented that the political relations between Baku and Sofia were at a very high level, which had to be achieved in all other spheres, for instance in the economic, humanitarian and cultural ties between the two countries.

Rasizade added that trade flows between the two countries mostly consisted of crude oil and petroleum products.

During the two-day visit of the Bulgarian delegation, a memorandum was signed between the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) for potential gas supplies, provided that the Bulgaria-Turkey gas grid interconnection is built by 2014.

Sofia and Baku will also cooperate in the transportation of gas supplies to Europe from Shah Deniz II and other gas fields in Azerbaijan, in the construction of a new gas storage, in the campaign to encourage gasification in Bulgaria, and in oil and gas exploration and production projects.

After the meeting, the two Prime Ministers signed two agreements for cooperation in the spheres of combating crime and protection from disasters and breakdowns.

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Tags: Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, gas supplies, azerbaijan, diversification, Bulgarian Energy Holding, SOCAR, Baku, BEH, gas grid interconnection, turkey, turkey

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