- What is the level of relationship between Great Britain and Azerbaijan?
- I am very pleased that the relationship between Azerbaijan and Britain is very strong. And I go back many decades. I mean the chief sample of it. It is of course the presence of BP which is so central to the oil industry in this country. And I am very proud of this fact. BP produces such an excellent job. The facilities which they have when I visited are so well organized, so clean. There is a wonderful advertisement for Azerbaijan. But it is a time for us not to rest on an existing relationship but to build on what we have created between our two countries. That’s why we want to see the British companies very heavily involved in the next phases of Azerbaijan economic development in diversification.
- What do you think about Azerbaijan’s role in European energy security?
- Of course Azerbaijan is known in a fact as an oil capital of this part of the world. Azerbaijan made a history with the first drilling for oil that took place a century ago. In fact, Azerbaijan is on the voyage of making history again. Suddenly Azerbaijan becomes not just oil capital of this part of the world but it is also gas capital as well. I’m sure that it will happen with the construction of the Southern Gas Corridor Project. It will be the biggest infrastructure, construction, engineering project. I think that this project will put Azerbaijan on the map for the second time. Not only for oil, but also for gas. This project is very important for Europe indeed, because Europe needs for its energy security absolutely solid, reliable, stable suppliers. That is how we view Azerbaijan and that’s what the Southern Gas Corridor when it is constructed will facilitate.
- What can you say about the energy cooperation between the two countries? The main projects ensuring gas delivery to Europe are being carried out within the cooperation with BP…
- I think the relationship between the Great Britain and Azerbaijan on energy goes back so far. It has a history, it is now path of the tradition it is path of the fabric here of the economy and of the country. BP is such a presence here and very welcomed. I know all of them, whom I have spoken to in Baku since I arrived here, BP is very well regarded and of course BP’s commitment to Azerbaijan is very strong indeed. And it is going to remain very strong. I know that from everyone I have spoken. But we have got to use that as a spring board to create other source of economic and social relationship. What I want to see the people of Azerbaijan and Britain are mixed coming back as much more freely. And I want investment and jobs to follow that. I hope that in the next decade we will see that coming to fruition and confident that it will.
- Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will provide the cheapest cargo transportation from China to London. How does Great Britain estimate this project considering the restoration of the Great Silk Road?
- I know China well. I have traveled a lot in China and the other year I went to emerging manufacturing power house towards the western side of China Chang Ching. And I spoke to people, said how do you gain to get everything you produce and manufacture into Europe's markets and they said we take it by railways. Now at the moment I think that rail link goes to the north of Azerbaijan, I think it goes through Russia. But we want to see new logistics, new connectivity, new transport links that enable China to bring its goods to Europe through this path of the world rather than an addition, to gain through Russia. I think it is a very, very exciting prospect and a major investment which people should get behind.
It is the modern day Silk Way isn't it. I mean people in previous centuries have found the most convenient, the safest, the cheapest, the most economic way of bringing the goods to market of fast-fast distances. Exactly it is not the same case now, because we have so many different forms, many more quicker forms of transport. But I think we have to find the best road.
I think what we see now is Azerbaijan potentially developing as quite important logistical and transport, commercial hub. Through port, through city, through hub people and goods can be transported to the larger markets of the world in so many different areas in addition to oil and gas. Obviously oil and gas remain absolutely central been first oil and gas providing a central link, bridge between Azerbaijan and Europe. But in my view we can see the time coming quite quickly when Azerbaijan is emerging as a key logistical staging post transportation link and hub for many more goods. And that contains within it a huge economic price for Azerbaijan which if it organizes itself, invests properly, gets the entrepreneurship, enables provident price to follow with distinctness judgments, will be yet another major take off point for this country.
- What is the position of the United Kingdom regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?
- Well, it is the conflict which is going on for too long. It is the conflict which the rest of the world, including Britain wants to be resolved. We are very familiar with what it takes to resolve disputes of this kind. That is why we support the work of Minsk group in the process that is underway. We want that the process be given real chance, to real opportunity. But that takes the commitment of the two principal parties of this dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan are demonstrating all commitment to the peaceful and fair settlement of the conflict.
- Does the British Parliament intend to adopt resolutions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Khojaly genocide?
- I am not aware of an initiative been taken within the British parliament. My view is that the top priority is not to take positions, is not to grand stands, is not to deliver great pronouncement, but to use energy and good will that we have towards this part of the world, the people to find the resolution of this dispute which is going on painfully too long.
- As the head of the British Policy Network think tank, how do you think why the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is protracted?
- The think tank doesn't have a position on political issues or disputes. So it doesn't have a policy to express about it. But I am quite sure that my think tank which I am president thinks that this conflict is ripe for resolution that needs to be done through mediation. That mediation has to be respected by both sides. And earning with that commitment we will be able to put this dispute behind this.
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