Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

After slightly more than 20 years of hard effort, Azerbaijan held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the launching of second Contract of the Century.

This is a great achievement for a small Muslim country with complex geopolitical relations and where the interests clash.

These remarks were made by Deputy Head of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and Director of Administration's Foreign Relations Department Novruz Mammadov on September 23.

"It is symbolic that marking the 20th anniversary of the first Contract of the Century, Azerbaijan held a groundbreaking ceremony as part of another Contract of the Century," Mammadov told reporters. "The positive point is that the first Contract of the Century has already brought its results."

Energy-rich Azerbaijan once again approved its leading role in ensuring Europe's energy security by launching one of its most ambitious projects, Southern Gas Corridor.

The groundbreaking ceremony of foundation of the project to deliver the Azerbaijani gas via neighboring Georgia and Turkey to Europe was held in Baku on September 20, on the 20th anniversary of signing of the First Contract of the Century, a project to develop the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block of fields signed in 1994.

President Aliyev, as well as officials from Georgia, Turkey, European countries and the U.S. attended the Southern Gas Corridor groundbreaking ceremony at the Sangachal terminal.

The president and other participants signed on the pipeline. It was put into the trench, after which President Aliyev along with other participants, poured ground into the trench.

Mammadov went on to add that when Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev signed the Contract of the Century on September 20, 1994, there were various comments and opinions on this issue.

"But the national leader was aware that this is a very great occasion for the Azerbaijani people, state and statehood, as well as for the future development of the country. Therefore, he called it the Contract of the Century," he said.

Mammadov noted the positive point is that President Ilham Aliyev continued this activity and never deviated from this path.

"Therefore, each foreign representative, prime minister and minister visiting Azerbaijan, stressed that the country has come a long way of development," Mammadov noted. "If one comprehensively analyses the positions held by Azerbaijan over the past 20 years in the region and in the international arena and looks at the current state of the countries which gained independence by 5, 10, 20, 50 years earlier, he or she would recognize that Azerbaijan is indeed in a unique position."

"And all this comes despite the fact that 20 percent of our territory is under occupation and we are in a state of war," he said. "But any country's goal is to ensure comfortable living and development for its population. From this point of view, Azerbaijan can be considered as a successful example particularly in the Islamic world."

Mammadov went on to say that the first Contract of the Century continues contributing in all areas of Azerbaijan for the benefit of the Azerbaijani people and the second Contract of the Century will complement this contribution.