Azerbaijan, Georgia working to jointly contribute to Europe's energy security - Azerbaijani PM
The official pointed out efforts for increasing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe via the South Caucasus region - through speed of transportation, quality of services and reduced time spent on unloading cargo from Kazakhstan at Georgian ports, and added the Corridor would “indeed become one of the safest and fastest corridors globally”. Photo: Government administration
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Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Thursday told the opening event of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum the development of port infrastructure and growth of civil cargo transportation would contribute to increasing the role of Azerbaijan and Georgia as both countries played an important transit role between Europe and Asia.
Asadov said governments of the two countries were working to “jointly contribute” to Europe's energy security and noted strategic projects including the Southern Gas Corridor - a chain of pipelines delivering gas from Azerbaijani’s Shah Deniz field to the European market via Georgia and Turkey - and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project linking the three countries across the South Caucasus.
He also emphasised the strategic partnership agreement signed in Bucharest last year between high officials of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary on the Black Sea submarine electricity cable project - a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe - noting Bulgaria’s desire to join the project and saying he hoped the project would further enhance energy security of “many countries” in Europe.
The official pointed out efforts for increasing the efficiency of the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe via the South Caucasus region - through speed of transportation, quality of services and reduced time spent on unloading cargo from Kazakhstan at Georgian ports, and added the Corridor would “indeed become one of the safest and fastest corridors globally”.
Asadov said ports in western Georgia's Black Sea cities of Batumi and Poti were an “important element” for the Corridor by saying it was “really pleasing” to see Georgia’s efforts in modernisation of railways, construction of ports and development of road infrastructure.
He also added the project for creating a new port infrastructure was on the agenda of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia, noting his Government was “ready to cooperate in this area as well”.
The Azerbaijani PM also extended his gratitude to his counterpart Irakli Garibashvili, while also wishing success to the Forum and noting the discussions and decisions at the event would contribute to the further development of the Great Silk Road and create conditions for expansion of regional cooperation in economy, energy, transport and shipping.