Azerbaijan's Energy and Industry Minister Natiq Aliyev has denied allegations of Russian pressure over Nabucco. Photo by opec.org
Russia has not pressured Azerbaijan to withdraw from supplying the EU-sponsored Nabucco gas transit pipeline project.
This has been stated by Azerbaijan's Energy and Industry Minister, Natiq Aliyev, who took part in the Sofia Energy Summit "Natural Gas for Europe".
Aliyev also told Bulgarian Darik Radio that Azerbaijan could provide 8 billion cubic meters of natural gas for the Nabucco gas transit pipeline initially.
Yet, Aliyev has pointed out no memorandums or contracts had been signed yet. In his words, Azerbaijan could export a total of 16 billion cubic meters per year, and 8 billion cubic meters of those could go to fill the Nabucco pipe.
Aliyev stressed the Azerbaijan leadership was going to make its deals with the Nabucco consortium or alternative buyers solely on the basis of the country's economic interests.
Nabucco is projected to reach a full capacity of 31 billion cubic meters of natural gas per years. While considered a key supplier for Nabucco, Azerbaijan would be just one of the suppliers of the pipeline, which is supposed to bring Middle East and Central Asian gas by going around Russia.