Azerbaijan, Baku, July 9 / Trend E.Ismayilov /
Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Minister Natig Aliyev met in Baku with Deputy Foreign Minister of Italy Marta Dassu and Italian Deputy Economic Development Minister Claudio De Vincenti.
During the meeting the sides discussed the cooperation between the two countries in various spheres, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
During the meeting, Natig Aliyev gave visitors information about the Trans-Anatolian pipeline, as well as routes of Azerbaijani gas to Europe. The minister noted that Azerbaijan contributed and will continue to contribute to ensuring Europe's energy security. The country is interested in cooperation with potential buyers of gas and its delivery to Europe.
The sides also discussed Trans-Caspian gas pipeline.
In December 2011, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the consortium that will build a gas pipeline to supply gas from Shah Deniz gas field to Europe through Turkey. BOTAS has a 20 per cent stake in TANAP, while SOCAR holds 80 per cent in the project.
Recently, a consortium to develop the Shah Deniz field completed its evaluation of potential export routes for gas to Southeast and Central Europe. As a result Nabucco West was chosen as a priority project for the supply of gas in this direction. Along with it, the project of South East Europe gas pipeline proposed by BP was also considered.
Under the same conditions in February this year as a potential route of gas exports to Italy the Trans-Gas Pipeline (TAP) project was chosen. The Shah Deniz consortium and TAP have already signed a cooperation agreement.