site.btaDeputy FM Discusses in Baku Opportunities for Increasing Azeri Gas Supplies

Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasil Georgiev discussed in Baku the opportunities for increasing the supplies of Azeri gas to Bulgaria in the short and long term, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

The capital of Azerbaijan hosted Wednesday political consultations between the two Foreign Ministries. The two delegations were headed by Vasil Georgiev and his Azeri counterpart Halaf Halafov. 

Cooperation in the energy sector and support from the two countries for further expansion of the Southern gas corridor to diversify natural gas supplies to Bulgaria and Europe were in the focus of the consultations. 

The two sides exchanged opinions on a number of other issues of shared interest, regional and international situation, the Russian aggression in Ukraine and its impact on the region and the world. The Bulgarian officials expressed deep concern over the situation in Ukraine and shared the European position that it is important to strictly comply with the international sanctions against Russia and minimize attempts to bypass them, if the sanctions are to be an effective instrument for ending the war.

The Azeri officials thanked for the Bulgarian support in evacuating Azeri citizens from Ukraine via Bulgaria. 

The 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations was also discussed. The two sides looked at the state of political relations, as well as trade and economic ties, and the relations in the energy industry, transport and logistics, tourism, culture, education and multilateral cooperation. A focus was put on the prospects and shared interest in enhancing cooperation in transport and digital connectivity and the transit of goods. They expressed satisfaction with the dynamic exchange and the active political dialogue at high and the highest level.