(MENAFN) Azerbaijan’s state oil giant SOCAR has formalized an agreement with the Syrian government to supply natural gas to Syria, marking a significant step in Damascus' push for energy stability, media reported.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was inked by Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister and Chairman of SOCAR’s Supervisory Board, Mikayil Jabbarov, alongside Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir.

“Today, I accompanied (Syrian) President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in an official visit to Azerbaijan where we discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the field of natural gas to secure the future of energy in Syria,” Bashir said in a statement on X.

“An agreement was signed with SOCAR regarding the supply of natural gas to Syria, a step towards energy independence and building strategic partnerships that serve the nation and its citizens,” he added.

The deal follows recent comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who cited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as saying Azerbaijan is “ready to provide all kinds of support on natural gas to Syria.”
President Al-Sharaa arrived in Azerbaijan early Saturday for his first official trip to the country since taking office earlier this year.

According to a statement from the Azerbaijani presidency, high-level discussions were held between Aliyev and Sharaa, attended by ministers and senior officials from both nations.

“Due to the unfriendly policies of the previous Syrian government toward Azerbaijan, bilateral relations had experienced a period of stagnation,” Aliyev stated.

He noted, however, that the formation of a new Syrian administration “has opened significant prospects for the advancement of ties.”

The Syrian president expressed gratitude to Aliyev for his backing of Syria.

He remarked that the former regime “had damaged relations with many countries, including Azerbaijan.”

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