Putin to visit Azerbaijan on August 13

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan on August 13. “Armenpress” reports that about this informs news website virtual.az making a reference on Turkish media. It is mentioned that Russian President will be accompanied by a large delegation among which will be heads of large energetic companies. During the visit issues relating to cooperation in that field will be discussed as well as opinions will be exchanged on regional and international issues. Earlier it was reported that the visit would take place on August 12.

Turkish “Yeni Asya” newspaper informed on August 7 that in order to decrease Russia’s trouble for implementing energetic projects with Western countries Baku offered the Russian participation in Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). “Generally Azerbaijani position is a product of concept aimed to “mollify” Russia,” wrote the newspaper.

The statement of Turkish newspaper makes us think that for this proposal Putin’s coming visit to Azerbaijan is aimed to showing support to Ilham Aliyev at coming presidential elections.

Trans Adriatic Pipeline project was announced in 2003 bySwissenergy company EGL Group (now named Axpo). The feasibility study was concluded in March 2006. Two options were investigated: a northern route throughBulgaria, theRepublic of MacedoniaandAlbania, and a southern route through Greece and Albania, which finally was considered to be more feasible. In March 2007, the extended basic engineering for the pipeline was completed.

On 13 February 2008, EGL Group and the Norwegian energy companyStatoilsigned an agreement to set up Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG, a joint venture to develop, build and operate the pipeline. In June 2008, the project company filed an application with the Greek authorities to build a 200 kilometres (120mi) section of the pipeline fromThessalonikito the Greek-Albanian border.In January 2009, the TAP project carried out a marine survey in the Adriatic Sea to verify the offshore route for the future gas pipeline.A route assessment survey in Albania started in July 2009.In March 2009, an intergovernmental agreement between Italy and Albania on energy cooperation mentioned TAP as a project of common interest for both countries. In January 2010, TAP opened country offices in Greece, Albania and Italy.In March 2010, TAP submitted an application to Italian authorities for inclusion into the Italian gas network.

On 20 May 2010, it was announced thatE.ONbecomes a partner in the project.The deal was successfully closed on 7 July 2010.

In March 2010, TAP submitted an application to Italian authorities for inclusion into the Italian gas network.In November 2010, TAP started a route refinement survey in northern Greece in preparation for theenvironmental impact assessment.On 7 September 2011, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG (TAP AG) submitted its EU Third Party Access Exemption applications in all three host countries. Exemption will allow TAP AG to enter into long term ship-or-pay gas transportation agreements with the shippers ofShah Deniz IIgas. The exemptions were granted on 16 May 2013.

In February 2012, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline was the first project to be pre-selected and to enter exclusive negotiations with theShah Deniz Consortium.In August 2012, consortium partnersBP,SOCARandTotal S.A.signed a funding agreement with TAP's shareholders, including an option to take up to 50% equity in the project. On 22 November 2012, the TAP consortium andTrans-Anatolian gas pipeline's partners signed a memorandum of understanding that establishes a cooperation framework between the two parties.In June 2013, the project was chosen as a route for gas from Shah Deniz II over the competingNabucco Westproject.