Azernews.Az

BAKU – President Ilham Aliyev has said no initiative in the energy or transport sectors can be made in the region without Azerbaijan’s involvement.

President Aliyev told the ceremony marking the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy’s anniversary on Tuesday that Baku was pursuing an unequivocal energy policy.

"We are trying to avail of our energy resources only for deepening cooperation…We have never used and will not use our energy potential for other purposes. We are using and will continue to use it strictly to strengthen the friendly and good neighborliness relations among countries in the region, to ensure our national interests and to strengthen Azerbaijan."

The president said Azerbaijan has proven to be a reliable partner with a special role in the world energy market.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan’s oil production has increased five or six-fold in comparison with the level reported in the early 1990s, and gas output has surged as well.

He said the oil and gas pipelines built on the South Caucasus republic’s initiative have opened access to all energy supply routes and markets for the country, and Azerbaijan has a diversified infrastructure and considerable financial resources.

Aliyev praised the fact that Azerbaijan is capable now of implementing any costly project on its own.

The president also said natural resources run out sooner or later, and Azerbaijan should be ready for that. He said Azerbaijan should have an advanced industry when the resources diminish in 50 to 100 years so that the country would prosper on account of its non-oil sector.