Bulgaria is ready to buy about one billion steres of natural gas from Azerbaijan very soon, President Georgi Parvanov said during meeting with his Azerbaijan counterpart Ilham Aliyev, BTA reported Monday.
Parvanov, who is paying a working visit to Azerbaijan, said that this quantity of gas is Bulgaria's quota under the European Union priority Nabucco project, which has to transport gas from the Caspian region to Europe.
These supplies can reach Bulgaria by connecting the Bulgarian gas network with the Turkey-Greece gas pipeline, Parvanov pointed out. Bulgaria already has a project for a branch from Komotini (Greece) to Haskovo (Southern Bulgaria).
"As it committed to the energy security of Europe, Bulgaria is here with the message to boost work on the European Nabucco project," the Bulgarian President said before his Azerbaijan counterpart, underscoring that Azerbaijan could have a key role of supplier of a considerable part of the natural gas for the project.
Parvanov suggested that the experts, competent ministers and energy companies from the two countries discuss the opportunities for active inclusion of Azerbaijan in the implementation of some of the European energy projects, including the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.
He also declared Bulgaria's readiness to participate in the survey, extraction and transportation of natural gas from Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev agreed to the idea of Parvanov on the holding of an interregional conference at which the countries of the Balkan, Black Sea and Caspian regions will explore opportunities for energy diversification.
The two heads of state commented on the launch of a direct air service between Sofia and Baku. "This time we are categorical that a direct service must be in place by the autumn of 2008. It can combine Sofia and some other Balkan capital as a destination," Parvanov said.
Asked about Kosovo, Parvanov attached paramount importance to the EU position that the Kosovo case is sui generis and does not set a precedent for another similar situation in any part of Europe or nearby areas.
This is Parvanov's second visit to Azerbaijan after his official visit in October 2004. Aliyev paid an official visit to Bulgaria in September 2005.
Source:Xinhua
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