Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan expects a decision on the Southern Gas Corridor in the near future, President Ilham Aliyev said in a statement made at the joint press conference with Austrian President Heinz Fischer in Vienna on May 13.

"This will be a joint decision of the Shah Deniz Group," President Aliyev said.

The President expressed hope that this decision will be made solely in terms of commercial profitability.

"We made a big step towards the realization of the Southern Gas Corridor. Here, in particular, an agreement reached between Azerbaijan and Turkey on the TANAP project is meant. It will significantly facilitate the implementation of the project. In short, we are ready to undertake main technical and financial obligations," President Aliyev said.

The President noted that Azerbaijan makes a concrete contribution to the implementation of the strategic route, since as a result of it, the country will become an important exporter of gas to the European continent.

"It will give us an opportunity to realize our huge gas potential, and ensure the economic independence of our country in the coming decades and centuries," President Aliyev underscored.

According to the President, Azerbaijan is very pleased with the cooperation level with the European institutions and, as a partner, does a real job.

"As for the projects, which are being implemented in the region at present and are planned to be implemented for the future, the competition does not bother us. On the contrary, I think that fair competition is a fundamental condition for success. This is also important for consumers as they will have more options. It is beneficial also for the producers, as they will work more efficiently. Therefore, we don't worry. But when it comes to diversification, I think we all need to take into account that the main diversification is not diversification of routes, but sources," President Aliyev said.