Azerbaijani President confident about Ukraine gas route talks

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev expressed Friday confidence in the outcome talks between Russia Ukraine, which his country facilitates to keep Russian Gas flowing through Ukraine into several European nations.

Aliyev spoke at the TEHA forum in Cernobbio (Italy), which gathers policymakers and businessmen every September on the shores Lake Como for a discussion of the geopolitical outlook.

The European Union (EU) and Ukraine asked Azerbaijan for help in facilitating discussions with Russia about a gas-transit deal due to expire by the end of this calendar year.

Although the EU has reduced its Russian gas imports to a large extent, certain central European countries are still dependent on Russian gas via a pipeline which crosses Ukraine. Austria still gets most of its gas via this route.

Aliyev stated, "We want to support these countries as well as Ukraine because the gas distribution system in Ukraine will be paralysed if transit stops."

The Azerbaijani President, who met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Melons in Rome on Thursday, expressed "certain optimism" about the recent discussions between Russia, Ukraine and other countries.

He said: "We believe that there are grounds for breakthrough, but it would be premature to get into too much detail." Reporting by Francesca Landini, Giancarlo Navach, Writing by Valentina Z; Editing by Giulia Segrit and Alex Richardson

(source: Reuters)