The country’s foreign minister revealed that more than ten EU member countries have requested additional gas supplies from Azerbaijan. Jeyhun Bayramov spoke at the end a remarkable 48-hour period in Azeri/European Union relations.
A day after Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission, flew to Baku for a deal to increase Azerbaijan’s gas exports to Europe, the EU’s Foreign Minister Bayramov arrived in Brussels. This was just as the pace of one of the most important relationships within the EU sped up.
Josep Borell, the EU’s High Representative For Foreign Affairs, stated that they were in an important phase of negotiating a new Comprehensive Cooperation and Partnership Agreement. This will help Azerbaijan diversify its economy and create a favorable environment for foreign investment and business.
Jeyhun Bayramov addressed the audience after the meeting of EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council.
European Policy Centre. He stated that European demand for gas from his country meant they needed the EU to be an interlocutor and establish priorities.
He presented plans to increase the EU’s 10 billion cubic meters per year by adding compression stations to the Southern Gas Corridor pipelines from Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Italy. More than ten countries wanted to place additional or new orders, which would make it impossible for the EU to pump 30 billion cubic meters.
Azerbaijan has been a reliable supplier of oil to Europe for many years. However, gas started to rise at the beginning of 2021 as the country tried to diversify its customer base. It is also looking to diversify its energy sources with both solar and wind power. Initial results are likely to be a decrease in domestic gas consumption, and more for export.
Bayramov, the Foreign Minister, stressed that the decision was made to diversify sales several years ago. Therefore, even though Europe’s demand for Azeri Gas was a result of Russia’s invasion, Azerbaijan did not wish to confront any other country.
He said, “We do what is right for us.” His country’s foreign policies would not have been as effective if they were based on third-party reactions. The most difficult foreign policy problem for Azerbaijan was the long search for peace in Karabakh, Armenia’s occupied territory for many decades.
Despite the dramatic recovery of large portions of the territory in a 44-day war two years ago, it’s not yet resolved. This was in response to what the Foreign Minister called “not only political provocations, but more and more military provocations” by Armenia. Azerbaijan praised the efforts of Charles Michel, President of European Council, to mediate. However Jeyhun Bayramov stated that it was important to be realistic when considering a conflict that has a complicated and long history.
His Armenian counterpart met him just a few minutes ago in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. Although the Azeris wanted to announce the formation of a working party to address outstanding issues, the
Armenians weren’t ready for this.
President Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan was ready for a new chapter, despite the destruction in the reclaimed territory. Jeyhun Bayramov hoped for a gradual normalization of the situation.
Relations For centuries, we have been neighbors.”
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