The Greek government will support the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline and will work for the swiftest possible completion, Productive Reconstruction, Greek Environment and Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis said on Thursday, during his visit to Azerbaijan, where he’s participating in the first meeting of the advisory council for the Southern Gas Corridor. In Baku, Lafazanis discussed possible benefits for Greece from the construction of TAP with several officials, with the representative of BP – the largest stakeholder in the pipeline – stating that he’s open to discussions on the issue. During his visit, Lafazanis held talks with Azeri president Ilham Aliyev with whom he had a broad discussion on cooperation between the two countries. The two officials agreed that ties were solid between Greece and Azerbaijan and that there was need for further cooperation which was not only important for the two countries, but the wider region as well. The minister also discussed Greece ’s request for benefits that derive from the completion of TAP in a meeting with Azeri Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev. This position was reiterated by the minister to TAP Managing Director Ian Bradshaw and the BP Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, Gordon Birrell. BP is the majority stakeholder in the TAP consortium that will exploit the gas deposits of Shah Deniz which will supply TAP and TANAP (Trans Anatolian Pipeline). According to a ministry press release, Birrell said he was open to discussing benefits for Greece adding he is ready to discuss specific Greek proposals. The minister also met with the European Commission’s Vice President Maros Sefcovic, in charge of Energy Union, with whom they discussed southeast European energy matters, with emphasis on the TAP project. These subjects were also discussed in a meeting with Amos Hochstein, Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Lafazanis completed his round of contacts with a meeting with Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova. The two ministers reaffirmed their countries’ support for the swift completion of IGB and stressed the need to further examine the project’s progress in the immediate future. (source: ana-mpa)
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