President Aliyev: Azerbaijan can become vital logistical hub in Eurasia

President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan has the potential to develop into one of Eurasia's major logistical and transportation hubs.

Aliyev made the remarks at a joint press statement with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban in Budapest on January 30, Azertag reports.

“Although much of our cooperation is focused on energy issues, it is not limited to that. At the same time, we are implementing major plans in the field of transport,” president stressed.

“I can say that we have already started transferring goods from Hungary to Azerbaijan and from Azerbaijan to Hungary through railways. This project has great potential as well. Because after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the volume of goods passing through the territory of Azerbaijan has dramatically increased,” the head of state mentioned.

“Last year alone, the volume of transit cargo increased by 75 percent. The modern transport infrastructure existing in Azerbaijan – be it tankers, ships, a large trade seaport, railways – all of them are modern and meet all the necessary requirements. Therefore, although Azerbaijan is a landlocked country, I think it can become one of the important transport and logistical centers of Eurasia. There are very good opportunities for cooperation with European countries, especially with Hungary, which is one of our closest partners in the European Union,” Aliyev emphasized.

“As Prime Minister has mentioned, we have been in close contact with each other for many years. We share the bonds of friendship. The friendly relations between our countries are of great importance both for our countries and, at the same time, for the Eurasian continent,” the Azerbaijani president said.

“The Joint Declaration on the deepening of strategic partnership signed today is further evidence of our strategic partnership. This is a second signed document on strategic partnership and it shows again that Hungary and Azerbaijan are true friends and strategic partners,” the head of state emphasized.

“Our successful policy and joint steps in recent years have created a very strong foundation for cooperation in the field of energy today,” he said.

“Prime Minister has recalled that great work was done on the NABUCCO project. However, the NABUCCO project was not implemented because the financial sources had not been identified. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan worked hard to deliver its gas resources to European markets and, as a result, the Southern Gas Corridor was implemented two years ago. This is very modern energy infrastructure, its length is 3,500 kilometers, and Azerbaijan has been delivering its natural gas resources to the European Union for two years now,” the president noted.

“According to the document we signed with the European Commission last year, we plan to double our gas supply, perhaps even more than double. The resources to do that are available, and so are political will and contacts with our partners,” President Ilham Aliyev added.

“We have now revived the NABUCCO project, which was once consigned to history. Through interconnectors, Azerbaijani gas will be delivered to Bulgaria, then to Romania, then to Hungary, and after Hungary to other European countries,” he stressed.

“We have also discussed this. Hungary is not only a consumer of Azerbaijani gas but will also act as a transit country for Azerbaijani gas to other European countries,” the head of state noted.

“Of course, energy security issues are of particular importance in the present-day world, and I think they are currently at the top of the global agenda. Azerbaijan's ample oil and gas resources allow it the opportunity to be a reliable partner for Europe for many years to come – at least for a hundred years from now in terms of natural gas. This is exactly what the leadership of the European Commission calls Azerbaijan – a reliable partner,” President Ilham Aliyev emphasized.

“The recently discovered tremendous green energy potential has also enhanced the importance of Azerbaijan. Of course, projects related to green energy and the already implemented ones will bring us closer to Europe,” the president said.

“As my dear friend has mentioned, according to the agreement signed last month, Azerbaijan will deliver its green energy to Europe, and these issues were discussed again today. The countries involved in this project – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary and Romania – will gather for the first steering committee meeting in Baku in a few days and start working on the concept of future activities,” the head of state noted.

“This is a project that requires a lot of investment. Therefore, we will take the first step at the meeting to be held in Baku on February 3. So the energy security of the European continent will be ensured in a more complete and comprehensive manner,” the Azerbaijani President emphasized.