BAKU - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has indicated today (Wednesday) that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline project witnessed many difficulties and dangers and incurred heavy foreign pressure during its realization.
In a speech delivered at the first point of the BTC pipeline, Sangachal terminal, Aliyev remarked that the United States gave a considerable amount of support to the BTC pipeline project.
Ilham Aliyev stressed that the mastermind of the BTC pipeline project was the late former president of Azerbaijan Haydar Aliyev. ''Today, I am sad because my father Haydar Aliyev could not see this day of historical importance,'' said Aliyev.
Aliyev told that Azerbaijan took a step forward with the realization of the BTC oil pipeline. ''We hope to take similar steps in other sectors of the Azerbaijani economy,'' mentioned Aliyev.
Participating at the BTC pipeline ceremony, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili commented that the BTC pipeline is a victory for Azerbaijan and its partners. ''It is a geopolitical victory for Georgia to be part of the BTC oil pipeline project,'' said Saakashvili.
Saakashvili indicated that the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) natural gas pipeline and Kars-Akhaltsikhe railway will strengthen Georgia's independence.
Meanwhile, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has expressed that with the opening of the BTC pipeline Kazakhstan's chances of exporting oil would be greater. ''The BTC project has opened a new page in Azerbaijan's history,'' noted Nazarbayev.
Nazarbayev mentioned that the BTC pipeline will help transport of oil from the Caspian region. ''Aside from the BTC, we will try to utilize Chinese, Russian and Iranian territories to export Kazakh oil,'' added Nazarbayev.
The first oil flow took place at the Sengecal terminal, about 40 kilometers south of Baku. The BTC oil pipeline's first 450 kilometers are within Azerbaijan.