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Azerbaijan ensuring Georgia’s energy security - Georgian expert

Oil&Gas Materials 12 December 2019 19:33 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijan, as a leading state in the South Caucasus region, directly ensures Georgia’s energy security
Azerbaijan ensuring Georgia’s energy security - Georgian expert

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 12

By Alihuseyn Quluzade – Trend:

Azerbaijan, as a leading state in the South Caucasus region, directly ensures Georgia’s energy security, Georgian political analyst Archil Sikharulidze told Trend, commenting on the significance of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP).

Sikharulidze said that the relations between Baku and Tbilisi are a good example of cooperation, which is aimed at ensuring stability in the region.

The political analyst noted that the participation of Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia in the opening ceremony of TANAP also characterizes the degree of high relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

“Despite the internal political turbulence in Georgia, the country’s prime minister nevertheless participated in the ceremony of connecting TANAP with Europe, which indicates the importance of the TANAP project not only from a geopolitical point of view, but also in the context of regional cooperation,” Sikharulidze said.

The expert emphasized that it is important for Georgia to maintain friendly relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan, and to expand economic cooperation.

“Gakharia’s participation in the ceremony of connecting TANAP to Europe shows that Tbilisi is ready to continue to actively participate in many international projects in order to ensure the economic stability of the region, just like Baku,” Sikharulidze added.

The opening ceremony of the Phase 1 of the TANAP was held in Ipsala, Edirne province of Turkey, on Nov. 30, 2019.

In this area, near the Greek border, TANAP is connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), through which natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to European countries.

Opening ceremony of TANAP's Phase 0 took place on June 12, 2018, in the Turkish province of Eskisehir, and commercial gas deliveries to Turkey began in late June 2018.

As of late October 2019, the volume of gas transportation to Turkey via TANAP has reached 3.08 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the start of commercial gas supplies on June 30, 2018.

The initial capacity of TANAP, which is the main segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, is 16 billion cubic meters of gas.

Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be supplied to Turkey while the remaining volume - to Europe. After the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) construction, gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020.

The share distribution of TANAP shareholders is as follows: Southern Gas Corridor CJSC - 51 percent, SOCAR Turkey Enerji - 7 percent, Botas - 30 percent, BP - 12 percent.

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