Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Khalilova / Heydar Babayev, the Azerbaijani Minister for Economic Development, stated on 2 August that by the end of the year Azerbaijan plans to sign a four-lateral memorandum on oil and gas cooperation, which will involve Azerbaijan, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
He noted that the first agreement was signed in Baku on 2 August. " Azerbaijan has set up talks with Italy on signing a similar document," the minister announced.
Babayev noted that the Azerbaijani President has repeatedly stated that Azerbaijani gas deliveries to Europe will commence in 2007 and that the memorandum signed with Greece in Baku has testified this.
The minister noted that due to the commitments on gas deliveries to Turkey, direct Azerbaijani gas deliveries to Europe are possible from 2012-2013. "However, this may occur earlier, as well," he stated.
It is not ruled out that from the beginning of 2010 Azerbaijan will sign contracts on gas deliveries with Greece and other countries. "We will deliver energy resources to European Union countries through the Turkish-Greek pipeline," the minister said.