PRESIDENT ALIYEV: WE HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING HAYDAR ALIYEV'S OIL POLICY
BAKU - The final agreement about Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) crude oil pipeline project, which will transport Azerbaijani oil to Turkey and world markets, was signed in Baku on Tuesday.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at Gulistan Palace, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan said that they had been maintaining former President Haydar Aliyev's oil policy successfully.
''Besides economic difficulties, we have experienced Armenian occupation and more than a million Azerbaijani people have become refugees due to that occupation since we acquired our independence. Despite all these negativities, Azerbaijan has taken its place among leading countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States as a result of its successful policies,'' he said.
Noting that the BTC crude oil pipeline project would be finalized soon, President Aliyev said that a legend came true.
''The agreement we signed today will constitute an important step in this process. After finalization of the project, relations among Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia will further strengthen. The BTC project will make a significant contribution to our countries and peoples,'' he added.
ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTER GULER: HAYDAR ALIYEV HAD MADE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO BTC
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler has said, ''former President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan had made great contributions to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) crude oil pipeline project, one of the most important projects in the world. Therefore, we have decided to give his name to the terminal in Ceyhan.''
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Guler said, ''despite all arguments about the BTC crude oil pipeline project, the construction process has begun with multilateral participation.''
Referring to the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline project, Guler said, ''besides Turkey, the project will also meet requirements of the European Union (EU).''
Recalling that an agreement was signed between Turkey and Greece to this end, Guler said, ''Greece will be given annually 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Later, the pipeline will be extended to Austria via Hungary.''
Highlighting importance of support of the United States to the project, Guler said that the BTC project would also constitute a model for efforts to protect environment.
Guler emphasized that the project would be finalized in time.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the Azerbaijan News Service (ANS), Guler said that Turkey would export 11 billion cubic meters of natural gas to be transported in with Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, to foreign countries.
Noting that Turkey would construct an additional pipeline to this end, Guler added, ''there is not any obstacle to finalize it in a short period of time.''
(UK-AÖ) 03.02.2004