Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijani Gas Will Be Transported to Europe via Georgia

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev spoke to the regional media and stated that the completion Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, or TAP (TANAP) is the primary objective for the Caspian nation. The TAP project entails 3500 km of pipeline stretching from Azerbaijan, through Georgia and Turkey, and ultimately reaching Europe, as far as the Balkans.   

“Of course, our main focus now is on completing the Southern Gas Corridor," said President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in an interview with Azerbaijan Television. The Azerbaijani President underlined that the project is also being executed effectively, by all parties.

"Its fourth and last component, the TAP project, is already nearing completion. So, I believe that in a matter of a few months the construction of three interconnected gas pipeline systems with a total length of 3,500 kilometers will be fully completed on the initiative of the Azerbaijani state and as a result of large-scale international cooperation, and Azerbaijani gas will be transported to Europe. Thus, the Southern Gas Corridor will be fully commissioned. This is a very important and, I think, a historic event for us, as it will pave the way for the full-field development of the Shah Deniz field,” asserted the President.

Aliyev also reiterated about expanding Azerbaijan’s national interests and geography, through this project, which encompasses several countries, and which eventually embodies a trans-continental project.     

“At the same time, we intend to expand the geography of our exports. Gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Italy. If there is a gas network in Albania, then Albania will become our natural partner, we can export gas there too. It is also possible to deliver Azerbaijani gas to other neighboring countries – the countries of the Balkan region,” stated Aliyev.

“Therefore, the Southern Gas Corridor is our historic achievement, and there is little time left for its completion. I want to reiterate that the work carried out at all our fields is carried out in a focused manner. All projects complement each other. […] By doing all this work, we are redrawing an energy map of Eurasia. Azerbaijan will remain a strategic partner for many countries for a long time,” concluded the President.