RSS
Romanian ambassador to Azerbaijan: We hope for feasibility study for AGRI project in November
Romania's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Daniel Ciobanu hopes that the feasibility study for the AGRI project should be ready by the end of November.
'The AGRI project is vital for Romania. The things are going well. The company was selected to perform the feasibility study and we hope it is ready by the end of November. Azerbaijan are a hundred percent politically open as are all the other countries involved,' said Ciobanu, who attended the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy on Tuesday, September 4.
He showed that the studies conducted in Azerbaijan prove the resources are enough both for AGRI and Nabucco projects, as well as for the other projects.
'Firstly there is Shah Deniz deposit which should become operational by 2016-2017 but there were also other gas deposits found in Azerbaijan so as the prospects look good. As President Traian Basescu said, there is a medium-term prospect for building the Trans-Caspian pipeline which would lead to the connection of the large-sized Turkmen gas resources as well. They will also be carried to Europe,' explained the Romanian ambassador.
Ciobanu claimed that Romania can shape EU position during the tripartite negotiations with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans-Caspian pipeline in a very beneficial manner.
He said that the relations between Romania and Azerbaijan are very good, pointing out that they rely on the strategic partnership between the two states.
'The main issue we are interested in is energy. Things are going well around this plan. As you know, Nabucco West was selected as the project for the European South-East route, in competition with the South-East Europe Pipeline project, and we are to see which of the two projects, either Nabucco West or Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, will be selected by Shah Deniz consortium to bring gas from the second exploitation stage of this gas field,' said the ambassador.
The official showed there is interest for the diversification of the trade relations between Romania and Azerbaijan and to increase the Romanian export on the Azerbaijani market, adding that UTI and Siveco are two major Romanian companies present on this market.
'The balance of trade is unfortunately tilted as we import too many energy products. We hope to diversify the Romanian presence on this market. We are currently exporting furniture and various foods. The furniture is highly rated in Azerbaijan due to the Soviet legacy, when the Romanian furniture was famous all over the Soviet area. The ICT products have good prospects now. Siveco is the first Romanian company present on the Azerbaijani market, it has run a programme with the Azerbaijan Ministry of Education and we hope to expand this programme. Bit Defender, together with two Azerbaijani partners, has launched the first anti-virus software in this language. We have information that Socar wants to diversify and consolidate its presence on the Romanian market. We are quite open and supportive to this kind of investments,' said Ciobanu.