Interview by the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic
Mr Kostas Karamanlis
to the “Trend News Agency”
- How do you estimate the level of bilateral relations between Greece and Azerbaijan? What spheres of cooperation do you see as most important? Are there any projects for the future?
Our bilateral relations are characterized by quality and a spirit of close cooperation and mutual trust. During the last years we had the opportunity to exchange a number of high-level visits. As a result, our cooperation has been enhanced in different fields.
The visit of President Ilham Aliyev in Athens, on February 15-17, 2009, will give new impetus to further develop and deepen our relations. This is the first time that the President of Azerbaijan pays a state visit to Greece, and it highlights the excellent relations between our two countries. Of course, we are interested in having our relations acquire new dimensions.
Four new bilateral agreements are scheduled to be signed during the visit of President Aliyev, covering a wide spectrum of our relations. I also believe that the two governments should work together to develop investment opportunities in various sectors including the energy industry and infrastructure, a key element of our cooperation. We are also discussing the possibility of signing a quadri-lateral agreement for the development of the natural gas corridor Azerbaijan, Turkey, Greece, Italy through ITGI, a priority project of the European Union and part of its Southern Corridor.
Greece’s privileged position between energy producers in the Caspian and energy markets in Western Europe means that Greece has a major role to play in helping Caspian energy find its way to a wider market. The ITGI pipeline will bring Azeri gas to Europe, providing a reliable flow of diversified gas supply from Azerbaijan and, potentially, other Caspian countries.
- Do you consider the OSCE actions efficient enough in solving so called frozen conflicts on the territory of post soviet states, including Nagorno Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan?
A priority of the current Greek Chairmanship will be to undertake all necessary actions to promote the prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts. This is OSCE core business to which Ms. Bakoyannis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, has declared her dedication, proof of which is the appointment of a Special Representative for the Protracted Conflicts in the OSCE area. I would like to emphasize that Greece is committed to working as an honest broker with all sides in a spirit of openness and driven by the desire for dialogue aiming at practical results.
As far as the OSCE is concerned, the crisis in Georgia is seen by the Greek Chairmanship-in-Office not only as a challenge, but also as an opportunity to look afresh at the mechanisms we have created, to re-dedicate ourselves to the full implementation of our agreed commitments, and to consider new ways of building indivisible security.
Concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Greece will work to ensure that the positive momentum of 2008 will continue during this year. The process so far shows that the framework of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs remains indispensable. Greece fully supports their efforts towards a peaceful settlement, on the basis of the Madrid Document.
The role of the “Personal Representative of the Chairmanship-in-Office on the Conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference” to cope with potential crisis situations remains extremely important. The Greek Chairmanship will work to ensure that, in the course of the year, the peoples of the region can enjoy the fruits of a negotiated peaceful settlement.
- When the full gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Greece will possibly start? And what amount of supplies is planned?
As I have already mentioned our cooperation in this area has been indeed close. We are currently negotiating the supply of up to 1 billion cubic metres of Azeri natural gas per year to Greece. This amount is intended to cover the interim period, until the Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy (ITGI) commences operating in 2013. Negotiations continue in parallel with Azerbaijan for the supply of natural gas for the purposes of the ITGI.
- How does Greece estimate the construction of the Nabucco pipeline? How could this project affect the energy security of Europe, including Greece?
The Nabucco pipeline is a project intending to increase the diversification of natural gas supplies of European markets. The EU has characterized both Nabucco and the ITGI as priority projects, since they will both enhance Europe’s energy security and will contribute to the development of the Southern Corridor. These two projects are also consistent with the priorities set by the European Second Strategic Energy Review, which calls for the diversification of routes and supply sources. In this respect these projects are complementary. It is obvious, however, that Greece focuses on the implementation of the ITGI project. The Turkey-Greece section is already operating since November 2007 and the on-shore and off-shore sections of the Greece Italy Interconnection are at an advanced stage of development.