Azerbaijan can take advantage of the US experience in the development of renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at a meeting with US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta, the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry said Nov. 13.
Shahbazov said diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the US contributed greatly to the energy cooperation.
The Azerbaijani minister stressed the US’ high role in the export of hydrocarbon resources to the world’s markets.
“The US continues to render support which it once rendered for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project, the Southern Gas Corridor, as well as its component – the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP),” the minister said. “At present, the work on the Southern Gas Corridor, which will ensure the diversification of energy supplies to Europe, is being carried out successfully.”
The minister added that energy security plays an important role in the Azerbaijan-US strategic relations.
“There is a great potential for cooperation in renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency in the future,” he said. “The US experience in introduction of new technologies can be used in the measures taken in this direction.”
In his turn, Cekuta said that energy issues play an important role in the Azerbaijan-US relations.
The ambassador added that the US focuses on Azerbaijan as it is implementing the projects aimed at ensuring global energy security.
The letters sent by US President Donald Trump on the occasion of the Republic Day celebrated by Azerbaijan on May 28 and the 24th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference, as well as the letter sent by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on the occasion of the Third Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku testify to the US attention towards Azerbaijan, Cekuta said.
Speaking about the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor, the ambassador added that the project will also provide opportunities for gas supply to the Balkans.
The ambassador said the US will remain a long-term partner of Azerbaijan following the signing of a new agreement on the joint development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields.
Cekuta is confident that new projects will further strengthen the partnership between the two countries.
The US is interested in cooperation by participating in projects that meet the interests of Azerbaijan, the ambassador added.
Cekuta said the necessary support will be rendered to the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry in the preparation of the Bill on the Electricity Market of Azerbaijan.
The meeting also discussed the upcoming meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC countries in Vienna, trends in the development of the oil market, as well as other aspects of energy cooperation.
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