The registration process has started as part of the TANAP pipeline project upon a decision of the cabinet of ministers, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku.
“If we manage to complete this process, we will be able to lay the foundation of the pipeline by late 2014,” Erdogan said. “We do not worry about this issue. Our main goal is for bulldozers to begin working soon and TANAP route to be laid in a short term. Of course, all this is described in the form of project and plans. But as soon as the pipe laying process starts, the whole world will be observing it.”
Azerbaijani president in turn said that Turkey and Azerbaijan are the founders and leaders of the TANAP project.
“Will and determination of the Turkish and the Azerbaijani leadership have played the biggest role in this project implementation. As a result of this project implementation, our countries will be even more closely related to each other. Our economic and political opportunities will be even more increased,” Ilham Aliyev said.
“We will try to implement this project in a timely manner. In any case, everything is on schedule according to the provided information. I hope that we together with my dear brother celebrate the opening of this project in 2018.”
TANAP project envisages gas transportation from Shah Deniz field through Turkey to the border with Europe. The initial capacity of the pipeline is expected to hit 16 billion cubic meters per year.
About six billion cubic meters will be supplied to Turkey and the rest – to Europe. In the future, the pipeline can be expanded up to 31 billion cubic meters per year.
The share distribution among TANAP project participants is as follows: Turkey (20 percent) and Azerbaijan (80 percent). After the process of BP’s equity acquiring in TANAP project is over in 2014, the shares in the project will be distributed as follows: SOCAR (operator) – 68 percent , Botas (Turkish state pipeline company) – 20 percent and BP – 12 percent.
“The meetings of the Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents are traditional,” president Ilham Aliyev said.
“We meet several times a year. Last time we met four months ago, and we are meeting now. Our meeting can take place next month as well. We will meet in June. This is natural – we are allies, friends, brothers. Of course, our conversations cover a very broad scope. We discuss all issues frankly as friends and brothers. The most important thing is that here the Turkish and Azerbaijani parties are like minded as in all other areas,” Azerbaijani president said.
Ilham Aliyev underscored that Azerbaijan and Turkey do not, and will not allow anything to cause damage to the relations between the two countries.
“We are friends and brothers, brother leaders and our peoples are fraternal. This is how it is supposed to be. For our future successful development and strengthening of our positions in the world, the Turkish-Azerbaijani unity will continue, and it should continue,” Ilham Aliyev said, adding that it is people’s will and the belief of the Turkish and Azerbaijani leadership.
“We are always close to each other. We will protect each other in good and bad days. Real brothers must act this way and we are such brothers.”
