Cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey brings significant results in positioning of region

By Trend

The cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey has brought significant results in positioning the region, said Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani, Trend reports with reference to Georgian Foreign Ministry.

He made the remark during a speech at the annual meeting of the heads of Georgia's diplomatic missions and consulates abroad, which will last until December 20.

According to the foreign minister, the cooperation of the three neighboring countries made it possible for these countries to have become the key energy countries of the transit corridor.

"The main event of the year was the official launch of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project, which aims to meet the needs of Europe and Turkey in natural gas and diversify natural gas supply routes, and this gives Georgia the opportunity to get practical benefits from the use of natural gas," Zalkaliani said.

He also noted the joint declaration signed by Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in Bucharest on the development of the Caspian-Black Sea transport corridor.

The opening ceremony of the Phase 1 of the TANAP was held in Ipsala, Edirne province of Turkey on Nov. 30, 2019.

In this area, near the Greek border, TANAP is connected to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), through which natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to European countries.

Opening ceremony of TANAP's Phase 0 took place on June 12, 2018, in the Turkish province of Eskisehir, and commercial gas deliveries to Turkey began in late June 2018.

The volume of gas transportation to Turkey via TANAP has reached 3.08 billion cubic meters (bcm) since the start of commercial gas supplies on June 30, 2018, as of late October 2019.

The initial capacity of TANAP, which is the main segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, is 16 billion cubic meters of gas.

Around six billion cubic meters of this gas will be supplied to Turkey while the remaining volume - to Europe. After the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) construction, gas will be supplied to Europe in early 2020.

The share distribution of TANAP shareholders is as follows: Southern Gas Corridor CJSC - 51 percent, SOCAR Turkey Enerji - 7 percent, Botas - 30 percent, BP - 12 percent.