Gas from Azerbaijani gas condensate field Shahdaniz will be shared among Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia according to a new agreement, Natig Aliyev, Azerbaijan `s Industry & Energy Minister informed journalists today, Trend reports.
He pointed out that since July, 2006, when an issue to supply Azerbaijan with power was discussed, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev gave a commission to view an issue on new gas sharing from this field.
Azerbaijan is not likely to buy gas from Russia due to issues that have recently arisen. Russia has raised the prices of the blue fuel. At the same time, the volume of gas we buy from Russia is not so huge. Georgia is also in a bad situation. Due to this, the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia have initiated the meeting of the Energy Ministers of the three countries. The key task is Azerbaijan's and Turkey's, as well as Georgia's and Europe's deriving their benefits from gas produced from Shahdaniz, pointed out Mr. Aliyev.
Touching upon the issue on the meeting between Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian Energy Ministers held in Tbilisi, Mr. Aliyev stressed that the three parties had come to a new agreement on sharing gas being produced from Shahdaniz.
We have agreed that 3 bln. cubic meters of gas being produced from Shahdaniz which belongs to Turkey and will be shared amongst Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia, he said.
The Minister also pointed out that the issue of the volume to be received by each party was already known. However, this has not been totally agreed upon and due to the fact that the agreement has not been signed, Mr. Aliyev rejected to comment on it.
The Azerbaijan Industry and Energy Minister pointed out that in order that the winter finishes without any serious problem, Azerbaijan needs some 1,3 bln. cubic meters of gas and Georgia- 0.8 bln. cubic meters.
The rest of the gas will be piped to Turkey. We shall do everything possible to sell this gas to Greece via Turkey. There are four issues: cover Azerbaijan's claims, assist Georgia, export gas to Turkey and then to Greece, said Mr. Aliyev.