Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR hopes for new Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili's support, SOCAR Head Rovnag Abdullayev told journalists on November 4.

Abdullayev said that earlier SOCAR established a good cooperation with the new prime minister and he sees no problem in continuing this cooperation.

"We previously had a close relationship with Garibashvili, he supported us a lot during the implementation of our projects," Abdullayev said. "We think that this support will continue. I don't see any problem in this issue."

Georgia's Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili named Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili as his successor on November 2.

Abdullayev went on to say that SOCAR established a good cooperation with new Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili when he served as the Education Minister.

"SOCAR has scholarship program for Azerbaijani students studying in Georgia. Moreover, we have launched a joint project on selection of 30 Georgian students as technical experts for SOCAR's projects. This process has already begun," Abdullayev said.

On December 26, 2008, SOCAR and the Georgian government signed an agreement on transferring the management of 30 gas distribution networks in the regions of Georgia, including Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida and Kvemo Kartli, Adjara, Guria, Imereti, and Samegrelo.

SOCAR Georgia Gas, a subsidiary of SOCAR Energy Georgia, was established in June, 2007 at the internal market of Georgia's natural gas.

According to the above mentioned agreement signed with Georgia, SOCAR Georgia Gas is to provide gas for at least 150,000 new customers, and to SOCAR also intends to open six or seven gas stations in Georgia under its own name by the end of this year.

Currently, about 110 gas stations operate in Georgia under SOCAR's brand, and their numbers will increase to 116-117 by late 2013.