President Aliyev holds several meetings (UPDATE)
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev on December 17 held several meetings with the heads of states and governments and top officials, who arrived in Baku to attend the Shah Deniz 2 final investment decision signing ceremony.
President Aliyev first received Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland William Hague, AzerTag state news agency reported.
They praised development of bilateral relations between the two countries, and stressed the importance of cooperation in the oil and gas field.
The Azerbaijani President and the British Foreign Secretary noted the significance of Shah Deniz 2, hailing it as one of the biggest global energy projects, and saying it plays a pivotal role in strengthening the cooperation in Europe and the region.
They also discussed the ways of settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Noting the first inaugural European Games will be held in Azerbaijan in 2015, the President and the Foreign Secretary stressed the necessity of conducting experience exchange between the two countries for ensuring the excellent organization of the tournament.
They also exchanged views on regional and international issues.
President Aliyev also received Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.
The Head of State said Azerbaijan and Bulgaria maintained strong cooperative relations.
He noted there were big opportunities for developing bilateral bonds between the two countries in a variety of fields, including energy sector.
The president expressed confidence that Shah Deniz 2 Final Investment Decision would play an important role in expanding the Azerbaijan-Bulgaria ties even further.
Oresharski described the Shah Deniz 2 Final Investment Decision Signing Ceremony as an historical event, and the project as an energy corridor opening from Azerbaijan to Europe.
He also noted that the project created good chance in terms of diversification of gas supply.
They also exchanged views on expansion of the bilateral ties in various fields even further.
Later, President Aliyev received European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger.
They stressed the importance of the Shah Deniz 2 Final Investment Decision Signing Ceremony.
President Aliyev hailed Oettinger's support for the implementation of the project.
The Head of State and Gunther Oettinger expressed confidence that the project would contribute to expanding relations among Azerbaijan and the European Union member countries, as well as ensuring European energy security.
Later, the Azerbaijani president received Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The Premier hailed the excellent organization of the Shah Deniz 2 Final Investment Decision Signing Ceremony. He noted the importance of the project in terms of developing cooperative relations among Azerbaijan and the Balkan states.
They also discussed how to expand bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and Albania in various directions, as well as investment making and energy.
Also, President Aliyev received Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.
They hailed the Shah Deniz-2 Final Investment Decision Signing Ceremony, and noted Azerbaijan had taken critical political and economic measures in terms of implementation of the project.
They said the project would play an important role in the European energy map and contribute to the diversification of energy resources.
They also discussed development of the Azerbaijan-Italy relations in a variety of fields, and the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On the same day, the Head of State received Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy Jonathan Elkind.
Elkind described the Shah Deniz 2 Final Investment Decision Signing Ceremony as an historic event.
The Head of State hailed the U.S. support to the project.
They noted the energy cooperation between the two countries had been developing successfully, and hailed the implementation of the project under the leadership of Azerbaijan.
They also discussed other issues of mutual concern.