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U.S. Special Envoy Boyden Gray: â€œWe welcome Azerbaijanâ€™s intention to transport its energy resources to Europeâ€

09 September 2008 16:33 (UTC +04:00)

This was the main message I delivered to Azerbaijani authorities on behalf of the U.S. administration,â€ U.S. Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy Boyden Gray told the briefing in Baku, APA reports. He said the statements that U.S. Vice President Richard Cheney and President Ilham Aliyev quarreled while meeting in Baku were groundless.
â€œThe talks were very successful. President Ilham Aliyev told me about it during our meeting once more,â€ he said.
Boyden Gray said he was going to meet with Turkeyâ€™s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Hilmi Guler in Baku and discuss energy issues, especially the security of pipelines. The U.S. official said he had discussed this issue with Azerbaijani side, too.
â€œThere are a number of views and proposals concerning it, we exchanged views on it. We will possibly put forth concrete proposals on these issues in future,â€ he said.
Boyden Gray said he had visited Turkmenistan before Azerbaijan and added he would be in Turkey on Monday. Mr. Gray noted that Trans-Caspian project had been discussed in Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan and took a stance on Russiaâ€™s intention to buy natural gas from these countries.
â€œThis fact does not frighten the US. We do not consider that Russia can buy all the energy resources in the region,â€ he said.
Commenting on the diversification of energy resources Boyden Gray said they attached great importance to this issue.
â€œIn this context I can note Nabucco project and Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline. The United States supports Nabucco project. We are a bit sceptical about South Stream project, because this project is very expensive,â€ he said.