Berisha lobbies for TAP in Azerbaijan

TIRANA, Feb. 8 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha started a three-day official visit to Azerbaijan Wednesday where he will focus on lobbying for a gas pipeline that could pass through Albania.
Berisha is to meet with the Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and also with Parliament Speaker Oktay Asadov. He will also meet with his host counterpart Artur Rasizade.
The government statement said that Albania and Azerbaijani representatives would sign an agreement on protection and the mutual encouragement of investments between the two countries as well as a Memorandum of Good Understanding on cooperation in the field of industry and energy.
He continued his visit with a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nadir Huseynov, Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mastafayev and the community of Azerbaijan business.
It was clear that the visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and deepening the economic relations, especially in the field of energy as well as to stimulate investments.
The Azeri government is to decide in the next few months where to pass the new pipeline that will transport its gas to Europe.
Albania is trying hard to include itself in the gas market in Europe. It says that the path through Albania is the shortest and most economical one.