TIRANA, March 14 – With the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline bringing Caspian gas to Europe already underway, Azerbaijan has reconfirmed its support to Albania’s gasification and the strengthening of relations between the two countries which are taking a new dimension with the major TAP project.
The support was confirmed to Albanian President Bujar Nishani during a meeting he had with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan last week when he attended the 4th Baku Global Forum.
“The implementation of this major project will pave the way to Albania’s gasification and will further strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries,” Nishani said.
“The TAP implementation will also have a very positive impact on the Western Balkans region,” added Nishani.
President Aliyev, who is planning a new visit to Albania, assured of the timely implementation of TAP and Azerbaijan’s support through its state oil company SOCAR which holds a 20 percent stake in TAP.
The two countries are planning to hold a joint economic forum and draft a concrete cooperation platform as part of President’s Aliyev’s planned visit to Albania.
TAP will generate one of that Albania’s largest FDI projects, with important benefits for a number of industries, including manufacturing, utilities and transport, experts say.
TAP has already launched its works in the Albanian section with the construction of access roads and bridges by an Albanian-Italian joint venture. Its route through Albania is approximately 215 km onshore and 37 km offshore in the Albanian section of the Adriatic Sea. With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately in early 2020.
During his two day visit to Azerbaijan, President Nishani addressed the 4th Baku Global Forum focusing on issues such as the role of interreligious dialogue in conflict prevention, migration, multiculturalism and integration, global security. The forum’s agenda also included prospects for energy and global management issues.
Citing issues such as migration, terrorism, organized crime and climate change, Nishani appealed for cooperation.
“Today it has become imperative to address all these challenges and threats in a comprehensive way both locally, as well as regionally and globally. Therefore our positions and actions, but also various regional organizations and international, where our countries adhere, need to adapt in order to face and overcome these challenges and developments,” he said.
President Nishani also held talks with the Macedonian and Georgian presidents attending the forum.
