"Azerbaijan's current rapid development would not be possible without the revenues we have obtained from the energy sector," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on December 11th while receiving Chief Executive Officer of BP Robert Dudley.
The head of state highlighted that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP was strategic: “Our cooperation with BP is of strategic nature. I have numerously made public statements regarding this. I am very happy and glad that this 25-year partnership has been the partnership of the friends who have the same goal and have taken beneficial steps to achieve them. This is very important. Sometimes, goals are identified, but it is not clear how to achieve them. We could implement historical projects together in a very complicated geopolitical situation of the 1990s. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the development of the “Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli” fields bloc, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the recently completed TANAP. Each project is of historical importance for Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan’s current rapid development would not be possible without the revenues we have obtained from the energy sector. Throughout all these years, we have really worked as partners, supported each other and shown understanding towards each other’s problems. I consider that this is a unique experience in the world. Currently, we are close to completing all the important projects. I am glad that I have attended the opening ceremony of the part of TANAP connecting with Europe. Now, we have to work on TAP which is close to the completion – 90% is already completed, as well as BP’s other projects, because our cooperation will continue. After the usage of “Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli” is extended till 2050, we will cooperate for 30 and more years. Thus, it will be more strategic than now”.