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Azerbaijan president to discuss European gas deliveries with Chirac
AFP
PARIS
Petroleumworld.com 05 30 06Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Monday he would likely discuss the possible delivery of Azerbaijan natural gas to Europe when he meets French President Jacques Chirac here on Tuesday.
Appearing before France's employers' association Medef, Aliyev also renewed an offer to provide Europe with gas.
At present Europe relies on Russia for 20 percent of its natural gas needs, but Aliyev noted that European governments were "looking for some alternatives."
A row over prices last January between Russia and Ukraine, a transit country for Europe-bound gas deliveries, disrupted shipments and prompted European authorities to consider other options.
Aliyev said his offer was not made in response to a specific European request. Azerbaijan at present ships its natural gas to markets in Georgia and Turkey.
But the Azerbaijani leader added that with the scheduled completion in September-October of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline, linking Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas fields with eastern Turkey, "technically our gas can go to Europe."
Aliyev said the possible delivery of gas from Azerbaijan to Europe could be amomg the topics raised in his talks with Chirac.
AFP 291923 GMT 05 06
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