Azeri Delegation in Tehran Tomorrow to Discuss Joint Energy Projects
(FNA)- A delegation from Azerbaijan, to be led by the Minister of Economic Development, is slated to arrive in Tehran on Monday to consolidate bilateral relations and discuss implementation of previously accorded joint projects in the energy sector.
An Azeri delegation including several representatives from oil, telecommunication, banking, and energy companies to be headed by Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev is heading for Iran to discuss how to put the previously signed agreements into effect.
"We are presently hashing out organizational affairs such as setting the date for the working group's first meeting as well as specifying its agenda of activites," the deputy head of Azerbaijan’s State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources Jamil Melikov.
The Azeri officals have voiced their willingness for Iran's partnership in Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project to transfer sour gas from Iran’s South Pars field to EU markets.
TANAP is set to transfer 16 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijan’s gas from third phase of Şahdəniz gas field in the Caspian Sea to the EU by mid-2018; however, without Iran’s partnership, Azerbaijan will be unable to supply long-term demands of the EU due to its sizeable resources.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev in a meeting in Baku in November 2014, underlined the need for the further expansion of bilateral ties in different areas.
During the meeting in the Azeri capital, the Iranian and Azeri presidents explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating mutual cooperation.
During the meeting, President Rouhani said that Iran and Azerbaijan enjoy abundant capacities for broadening mutual cooperation, and said, "The two sides have ample economic, cultural, political, and international capacities which should be utilized."
He noted that in the previous meetings the two presidents tried to broaden Tehran-Baku relations, and said, "The two sides are serious about using their capacities in the interests of their nations."
Aliyev, for his part, pointed to Iran-Azerbaijan commonalities, and said, "The Azeri government pays special heed to closer relations between the two states and nations in different areas."