On January 30, a meeting of the Azerbaijan-Ukraine working group on energy cooperation took place in Kyiv.
According to AZERTAC, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev, Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov, and SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov participated in the meeting on behalf of the Azerbaijani side.
Welcoming the guests, Ukraine’s Minister of Energy and Environmental Protection Oleksiy Orzhel noted that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine is developing in all areas, including the energy sector. There are oil and gas enterprises in Odesa that are presented for privatization. The Ukrainian side is interested in attracting investments from Azerbaijani companies in this area.
The Minister said that Azerbaijan can export oil and gas products to external markets through Ukraine. This includes the possibility of transporting oil to Belarus.
O. Orzhel stated that Ukraine has now begun close cooperation with European countries to transport oil and gas products. Ukraine can help supply Azerbaijani products to these markets. The Minister also stressed that his country is interested in participating in the “Southern Gas Corridor” project.
Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov said that the proposals put forward by the Ukrainian side in the energy sector are under study. Consultations are also ongoing regarding the transportation of Azerbaijani oil products via Ukraine: “I believe that decisions on the issues proposed and raised at the meeting will be made after experts’ conclusions. Today SOCAR invests sufficiently in Ukraine. In Ukraine, 60 gas stations and 4 oil depots operate under the SOCAR brand. I think SOCAR will further expand its activities in Ukraine.”
SOCAR President R. Abdullayev stated that SOCAR is interested in expanding its activities in Ukraine: “I believe that as a positive outcome of this visit and meetings, cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector will continue to grow.”
After the discussions, a document on cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine in the oil and gas sector was signed. The document also covers the issue of transporting Azerbaijani oil products via Ukraine.
Emil Huseynli
AZERTAC special correspondent
Kyiv
Source: Azertag