Speech by President IIham Aliyev at the joint press conference of the Romanian, Georgian, and Hungarian state and government leaders

Dear ladies and gentlemen!

I would like to congratulate all of you on this remarkable event. We have just signed an important declaration on the AGRI project. We worked on this project for a long time. Although this is a relatively new project, it has a great future. We discussed it today. The efforts made by the leaders of our countries, by our citizens, representatives of companies and ministries towards facilitating this meeting have already yielded good results. We are at the start of major development, and I am sure it will be successful.

We have everything necessary for successful progress of the project. Above all, we have a strong political will. There is close bilateral and multilateral cooperation between our countries. Today’s summit is a good indicator of that.

We have significant natural resources. Azerbaijan will contribute to increasing production from Shah Deniz and other gas fields. We have reliable transport and transit routes. We have consumer friends. They need additional sources of gas supply. If we connect all important elements in any potential energy project, we can see an impressive picture. I think a lot will depend on how fast and effectively we implement the declaration signed, how fast and effectively we prepare the feasibility study and, of course, on financial resources, experience and technical skills.

I am sure that our experience in promoting and implementing gigantic energy projects will bring us success. We have special experience. We have discussed issues of cooperation with international financial institutions today to attract investment into the oil and gas sector and increase financial resources, issues of pipelines under construction and fruitful cooperation between consumer, transit and producer countries. The balance and inter-dependence of these interests are important elements of successful realization of projects. In other words, we have everything necessary to implement the project. I do hope that this ceremony and talks, the instructions we have issued to companies and ministries will play a role in future successes.

I would like to congratulate you all on this important event. I am sure that this day will go down in history, strengthen our partnership and energy security, the measures we are working on, and lead to cooperation between our peoples and regions, prosperity and success. I would like to thank dear guests for being with us today, and all participants for their hard work. Thank you very much and now the floor is given to President Saakashvili.