(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 21. Talks on the
possible launch of gas export from Azerbaijan to the Western
Balkans are underway, Elnur Soltanov, Deputy Minister of Energy of
Azerbaijan, said in an interview with LGP News magazine, trend reports.
'Some time ago we started a dialogue with the countries of the
Western Balkans about possible gas supplies to the region. The
European Commission is also involved in this dialogue, which is a
natural part of the new energy policy in the Western Balkans toward
a decarbonized economy. There is a demand for additional gas from
our other partners. It is obvious that sometimes even small volumes
of additional gas can mean huge diversification for a particular
country,' he said.
According to the DM, the REPower EU plan and the 'External EU
activity in the energy sector in a changing world' document notes
that the expansion of the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor
(SGC) to 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year will play an
important role in ensuring gas supply in Southeastern Europe and
the Western Balkans. The document also underlines the need to
intensify energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU, given
the strategic importance of the SGC.
'Azerbaijan exported 19 bcm of natural gas, including 8.2 bcm to
Europe, in 2021. This year we will increase the supply to Europe up
to 12 bcm,' Soltanov added.
Meanwhile, on July 18, 2022, a 'Memorandum of Understanding on
Strategic Partnership in the field of energy between the European
Union represented by the European Commission and the Republic of
Azerbaijan' was signed between Azerbaijan and the EU.
The Sides agreed to support bilateral trade of natural gas,
including through exports to the EU via the SGC, of at least 20 bcm
of gas annually by 2027, in accordance with commercial viability
and market demand.
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