Currently Azerbaijan considers the proposal of the Russian company Gazprom regarding the acquisition of the Azerbaijani gas, said the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, interviewed in his official visit to Rome by the RAI International TV. The interview was broadcasted by the Azerbaijani television.
Aliyev said that Azerbaijan receives different proposals regarding acquisition of its gas and approaches them "with a single position". "This is an absolutely commercial question. We realize our projects on the basis of their commercial attractiveness, multi-variance, security and long-term partnership," Azerbaijani Leader said. He emphasized that Azerbaijan will consider all proposals on the acquisition of its natural gas.
In addition, Aliyev said that the gas price must be similar with market. He stated that in the near future Azerbaijan will generate sufficient gas for its export in different directions. "We began the development of our basic gas fields recently and yet have not brought the production to the highest mark. I believe that this will occur in the next 5-6 years," the President of Azerbaijan stated.
Touching upon the realization of the Nabucco project envisaged for transporting gas from Central Asia to Europe, Aliyev emphasized that this depends not only on Azerbaijan. "This more greatly depends on the solution of transit questions, connection to the sources in the Central Asia," the Head of State noted. At the same time, the President said that Azerbaijan "is prepared to play the role of the transit country in the Nabucco project and if required, the potential source of gas supply".
In 2008, 27bln cu.m of gas will be generated in Azerbaijan for the first time, and this volume is intended to be doubled in 5-7 years.