03 July 2019, 10:36
Analysts call energy factor decisive in Azerbaijan-Europe relations
The political importance of Azerbaijan for Europe after the commissioning of the TANAP pipeline will grow, Azerbaijani economists believe, whose opinions regarding the profitability of gas transmission projects have divided. The West, because of its energy interests, sacrifices human rights in Azerbaijan, right defenders believe.
On July 1, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan reported that the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is fully ready for transporting natural gas to Europe.
Ilham Shaban, the head of the "Caspian Barrel" Centre for Oil Studies, estimates Azerbaijan's potential revenues from the pipeline operation to be at least 120 billion US dollars.
Natig Djafarli, the head of the Centre for Republic's Studies, believes that Azerbaijan's gas revenues will be modest. At the same time, in his opinion, thanks to the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), the Azerbaijan's political importance in Europe is increasing.
Elshan Gasanov, the coordinator of the Union "For the Freedom of Political Prisoners", agrees that the energy factor is the major one in Europe-Azerbaijan relations.
Ogtai Gyulyalyev, the coordinator of the Committee against Repression and Torture, believes that because of its energy and geopolitical interests, the West often neglects the human rights problems in Azerbaijan.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 2, 2019 at 09:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Faik Medjid Source: CK correspondent
