Elnur Mammadov: Azerbaijan ensures uninterrupted oil and gas supplies to global markets

Azerbaijan is interested in greater stability in commodity markets, as well as in the earliest possible resolution of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the situation in the Middle East, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elnur Mammadov said in an interview with the Spanish publication 20 Minutos, Report informs.

According to the deputy minister, Azerbaijan feels certain consequences of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as instability in the Middle East, including around the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, the situation in the strait does not directly affect Azerbaijani gas and oil pipelines through which supplies to Europe are carried out.

Mammadov emphasized that these processes cause concern for any country in the region, and Azerbaijan is interested in greater market stability and prompt conflict resolution.

"However, from a geographical standpoint, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz does not directly affect our gas pipelines and oil pipelines, since they run from the Caspian Sea through Georgia and Türkiye, and then to Europe," Mammadov noted.

As an example, he cited the South Caucasus Corridor, to the development of which Azerbaijan gave an impulse in 2011. At that time, according to the deputy minister, few believed in the demand for this route due to Russian supplies, but time proved the Azerbaijani side right.

Mammadov emphasized that there is currently a high demand in Europe for Azerbaijani gas. Azerbaijan supplies it via pipelines to 16 countries, including ten European ones, eight of which belong to the European Union.

The deputy minister also noted that Azerbaijan provides uninterrupted supplies of crude oil and natural gas. In parallel, the country is working on green energy corridors to export electricity from renewable sources generated in Azerbaijan and Central Asia to Europe.