SOCAR exec dismisses reports on turning down Nabucco
An official of the Azeri state oil company SOCAR has dismissed the
reports claiming that Azerbaijan plans to turn down energy
partnership with Europe.
Elshad Nasirov, SOCAR Vice-President, told reporters that the reports, circulated by Russia’s Lenta.ru news website and Bloomberg news agency, distorted his earlier statement by claiming that the South Caucasus republic could refuse to take part in the Western-backed Nabucco pipeline project and redirect supplies of its gas to Asian markets.
"If there is no Western route allowing to bring hefty revenues to the country, Azerbaijan does not consider this as a taboo for accessing Eastern energy markets. In other words, we do not rule out the options of accessing either Western or Eastern markets."
The SOCAR official said that, just like in the past years, exporting natural gas to EU countries remains a priority for Azerbaijan.
"The European market is extremely lucrative, because prices are determined here not in the capital of any country but in the market proper," Nasirov said.
He also said SOCAR was interested in refining its oil in areas closer to European markets, which would boost the country’s profits, adding that this could be done in any European country.*
Elshad Nasirov, SOCAR Vice-President, told reporters that the reports, circulated by Russia’s Lenta.ru news website and Bloomberg news agency, distorted his earlier statement by claiming that the South Caucasus republic could refuse to take part in the Western-backed Nabucco pipeline project and redirect supplies of its gas to Asian markets.
"If there is no Western route allowing to bring hefty revenues to the country, Azerbaijan does not consider this as a taboo for accessing Eastern energy markets. In other words, we do not rule out the options of accessing either Western or Eastern markets."
The SOCAR official said that, just like in the past years, exporting natural gas to EU countries remains a priority for Azerbaijan.
"The European market is extremely lucrative, because prices are determined here not in the capital of any country but in the market proper," Nasirov said.
He also said SOCAR was interested in refining its oil in areas closer to European markets, which would boost the country’s profits, adding that this could be done in any European country.*
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