OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2011. SOCAR President Mr. Rovnag Abdullayev received the delegation led by Mr. Rune Bjornson, Executive Vice President of Statoil on natural gas. Saluting the guests, Mr. Abdullayev congratulated them on occasion of the Christmas and New Year, and expressed his best wishes.

SOCAR President spoke of the development of Azerbaijan’s economy, in particular, oil and gas industry. He noted foreign partners including Statoil played an important role in accomplishments achieved. As he mentioned, Azerbaijan established beneficial cooperation with Statoil on Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli and Shahdeniz projects. Mr. Abdullayev stressed the importance of the Shahdeniz-2 project in increase of oil shipments westwards. He estimated the joint declaration on the Southern Gas Corridor signed by Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission as another success in ensuring Europe's energy supplies.

According to Mr. Abdullayev, the positions of SOCAR and its foreign partners match on the issue of transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe. Mr. Bjшrnson noted successful cooperation between Statoil and SOCAR and thanked SOCAR President and Company’s management in this regard.

He expressed confidence in continuation of two companies’ partnership. The parties discussed the progress of oil and gas projects in Azerbaijan with participation of Statoil as well as the issue of diversification of Azerbaijani gas supplies.