Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The University of Southern California in Los Angeles hosted a conference on the strategic importance of the Southern Energy Corridor and Azerbaijan's crucial role for Europe in its attempts to diversify energy imports.

Supported by the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles and Turkish Airlines, the "Geopolitical Implications of the Southern Energy Corridor" conference was held by Chapman University and the Pacific Council on International Policy Eurasia Committee.

Representatives of Los Angeles city administration and business community, members of the LA Consular Corps, experts, academicians, students, business people, mass media representatives, and others attended the conference.

Addressing the event, Azerbaijan's Consul General in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev gave a summary of Azerbaijan's dynamically developing economy and high reputation in the world.

Highlighting the importance of Azerbaijan's energy recourses for the European countries, Aghayev said the realization of important energy projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline contributes to the development of regional countries.

Rudi Van Beurden, the operator of the transit gas projects and communications manager at the Belgian "Fluxys" company, and Magsud Mammadov, the foreign relation manager of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project, made keynote speeches on the "Southern Gas Corridor" project and the European gas market.

Mammadov said the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline, which is the key element in the Southern gas corridor, will connect the Caspian Sea and Europe directly for the first time and provide the continent with alternative gas from Azerbaijan.

The EU diplomat with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and adviser to the EU delegation to Washington, Christian Burgsmuller, said in addition to being an alternative source of supply for Europe, the Southern gas corridor will create the necessary conditions for close cooperation between the Caucasus region and Azerbaijan.

Highlighting the Southern gas corridor's importance for Europe, deputy director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center at the Atlantic Council David Korányi said Azerbaijan supports the implementation of this project and puts in a lot of effort.

Speaking at the conference, professor of the Baku State University and expert on energy policy Bakhtiyar Aslanbeyli said Azerbaijan's gas which will be supplied to Europe will be "fresh gas".

He also noted that where threats to the corridor were concerned, Europe should be able to protect its interests.

Experts on energy issues stressed the importance of the Southern gas corridor in Europe's energy security and Azerbaijan's role in the economic development of regional countries.