Sabit Baghirov: "Russia attempts to prevent supply of Azerbaijani and Turkmen gas to European markets by all means"

According to him, Europe is interested in ensuring its energy security and will do everything possible to promote alternative gas supplies to the European market.

"Therefore, we see progress in Nabucco project. But the implementation of this project does not mean reduction in Russian supplies. Nabucco will allow meeting the growing consumption of gas in the EU countries not from Russian sources. It means that Nabucco is not intended to replace Russian gas with another. This is impossible considering the project capacity of this gas pipeline of 31 bln cubic meters per year. At the same time, this volume is planned to be ensured at the last stage of Nabucco project, while the initial stage envisions supply of about 8 bln cubic meters per year.

Certainly, this can not be compared to the Russian supplies of gas to the European market. I think Russia does not fare the rivalry with Nabucco, it fares reduction of its influence on the Caspian states, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which is again the political subtext of gas confrontation", said Baghirov.

He noted that the current crisis will cause a greater interest of European consumers to such countries as Azerbaijan.

"We are fixing it now and I think signing of intergovernmental agreements with the governments of transit countries on Nabucco projects may start in the next 2-3 months".

As for the possible facing of political confrontation of Russia for Azerbaijan presents itself as an alternative supplier of energy sources to Europe, Baghirov noted that Russia has some definite ways of pressure on Azerbaijan and will further use them. According to him, even today Azerbaijan has to choose.

"I think the situation when Azerbaijani government is in a stiffer situation, when it will be necessary to settle the issue of gas supplies to Nabucco pipeline, will establish soon.

Russia tries to avert this. We saw this last year, when Gazprom announced readiness to but the whole volume of Azerbaijani gas from Shah Deniz. Russia is able to press on the countries of the region both economically and politically.

Russia tries to prevent the supply of Azerbaijani and Turkmen gas to European markets by all means not because these countries will be Russia's rivals in Europe. The volumes of possible supplies from these countries are much lower than of Russia. Merely, these countries get greater freedom and this undoubtedly bothers Russia", concluded Baghirov.

/Day.Az/