Azerbaijan, Baku, November 12/ Trend , corr S. Babayeva/ "Tender to select a company within launching communication satellite of Azerbaijan can be closed," Minister of Communication and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan Ali Abbasov said.
"We are holding talks with interested companies and talks will last until the tender is issued. The talks are held with US, Turkey and Israel," he said.
Minister said the preference will be given to the company who will offer high quality services at acceptable prices. "The relations with the country that the company represents will be taken into consideration," he said.
The Ministry of Communication of Azerbaijan says the contract on production and launch of AzerSat national communication satellite can be signed only with one foreign company who will conclude deals with contractors on preparation, launch of satellite and construction of ground station.
Cost of AzerSat project is estimated at almost $200mln. The satellite is expected to cover Europe and part of Asia - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran.
The satellite is expected to be launched in 2010. Service life of AzerSat is 18-19 years.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev decreed at early November to create cosmic industry in the country and launch telecommunication satellites. The document says Azerbaijan's favorable geographical and economic location between Europe and Asia necessitates creation and launch of telecommunication satellites, which are integral to economic and information security.
According to the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers is to work out and present President State Program on Creation and Development of Cosmic Industry in three months.
The Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies is to carry out respective measures to launch telecommunication satellites.