Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Khalilova / The Ministries of Economic Development of AZ and Italy signed a protocol on cooperation in the gas sector in Baku on 12 December. Lougie Besani, the Italian Minister, said in the ceremony that Italy is huge consumer of natural gas. "Cooperation with Azerbaijan will expand the opportunities for gas export to Italy," the minister stated.
In accordance with the protocol, the Azerbaijan gas will be transported to Italy via Turkey and Greece under the Turkey-Greece-Italy corridor, Besani stated. According to the Italian minister, by 2012 approximately 8bln cu m of gas will be exported from Azerbaijan to Europe.
Heydar Babayev, the Azerbaijani minister, stressed the importance of signing a protocol with Italy.
"We are glad to cooperate with Italy in this direction. It means the establishment of alternative sources of energy resources for Europe," the Azerbaijani minister stated.