Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan has agreed to sell one billion cubic meters of gas per year to Syria, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told a joint business forum during an official visit to Baku on Thursday, Azerbaijan`s state-run Azertag news agency reported.
According to al-Assad, Turkey, which may act as a transit state for the deliveries, approves of the gas exports.
"Two years ago, we launched talks on gas supplies or laying a gas pipeline from Turkey to Syria," al-Assad said. "This conduit may deliver Azeri gas to Syria and further south - to Jordan and Egypt. Purchases of natural gas are of tremendous importance for us, as our own reserves are very small."
The Syrian leader also said that Azeri gas would account for most of the fuel to be transported through this route. Gas pipelines will promote the development of links among the Caspian, Black Sea and Persian Gulf regions.
Al-Assad mentioned previous political differences between Syria and Turkey, indicating that they have been left in the past. "Currently, Turkey is a fraternal state for us, in its true meaning."
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, for his part, emphasized that seven oil and gas pipelines operating in the country are pumping the country`s hydrocarbons to European and world markets.
"We have opportunities for exports in all directions, and I consider the project on Syria`s joining the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline [extending from the Azeri capital to Turkey through Georgia] very feasible. We will be working on this project with a great deal of satisfaction."
Azerbaijan`s gas production will amount to about 25-27bn cu. m. in 2009. Azeri gas is currently being exported to a variety of countries, including Georgia, Turkey, Greece, and Iran. Russia will also begin importing gas from Azerbaijan starting next year, in accord with a recently-signed agreement.
"The broader the geographic scope [of exports], the better it is for us, for producers and for consumers," President Aliyev said.

Five deals
Five documents were signed last Wednesday during the Syrian president`s visit to Azerbaijan. The documents, signed in the presence of the presidents of the two countries, included agreements on exempting holders of diplomatic and special passports from visa requirements, on cooperation in the economic, scientific, technical, industrial and energy fields, and on mutual protection of investments.
Prior to the signing ceremony, the two presidents held a private meeting. The sides said they were pleased with the level of bilateral relations, adding that the visit would give further impetus to bilateral cooperation.
"The doors for cooperation between Azerbaijan and Syria are open, and this inspires confidence in a prosperous future," al-Assad said.
The two countries have a strategic position at the global level and maintain friendly relations with their neighboring and regional countries, Syrian leader said.
President Aliyev expressed Azerbaijan`s interest in developing cooperation with Syria, which would benefit both nations.