OREANDA-NEWS. SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev met with the delegation led by Gabor Iklody, Assistant Secretary General of NATO's Emerging Security Challenges Division. 

 Welcoming the guests, SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev noted that at present time energy security was one of the global problems. He informed the guests on the current oil and gas projects carried out by Azerbaijan within the new oil strategy. Expressing gratitude for sincere welcome, Assistant Secretary General of NATO Gabor Iklody mentioned the importance of the NATO-CCEE Partnership Conference titled “Emerging Security Challenges: Enhancing Energy Security in the 21st century” hosted by the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA). Stating that Azerbaijan has become an exemplary country for the region, Mr. Iklody appreciated development of mutual relations between NATO and Azerbaijan. He noted that diversification of gas resources was one of the important issues for NATO countries. In turn, Mr. Abdullayev pointed out that Azerbaijan was an old land of oil and it made great contributions to the world oil industry. He emphasized the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor project in provision of the European energy security and briefed on the works conducted in this connection. As to him, selection of a route for transportation of Azeri natural gas to European countries had stepped to the final stage. SOCAR President stated that in this regard, the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project proposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey has got international disposition. “At the same time, the expansion of the South Caucasus gas pipeline and Shah Deniz-2 project is to be completed soon”, said Mr. Abdullayev.

 Thereupon, SOCAR President responded questions of the guests.