ID :
11223
Tue, 07/01/2008 - 12:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/11223
The shortlink copeid
Azerbaijan-Ukraine trade may reach $1 billion soon-Yushchenko
BAKU, July 1 (Itar-Tass) - The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and
Ukraine will reach one billion US dollars in the coming eighteen months, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said at a press conference in Baku on Monday after talks with President of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliyev.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that the dynamics of bilateral
relations, first of all in the sphere of trade "is very vigorous." "In
2007, the trade turnover between our countries increased by one-third, and
in the coming eighteen months we will reach the level of one billion
dollars," said Yushchenko. According to him, "there is a good legislative
groundwork for this."
On the whole, believes the Ukrainian president, the
Azerbaijani-Ukrainian relations "are of special nature." "It is pleasant
for me to note that over recent years these relations have been on the
rise, developing very dynamically," the Ukrainian head of state added.
Touching upon the energy projects Yushchenko stressed that "they have
been developing normally, including the project for the transportation of
Caspian oil to European Union countries via Ukraine." He referred to the
Odessa-Brody route with an extension to Plock and Gdansk (Poland) that is
now being filled with Russian oil and is working in a reverse mode.
The Odessa-Brody pipeline is a crude oil pipeline between the
Ukrainian cities Odessa at the Black Sea, and Brody near the
Ukrainian-Polish border. There are plans to expand the pipeline to P_ock,
and furthermore to Gdansk in Poland. The pipeline is operated by
Ukrtransnafta, the Ukraine's state-owned oil pipeline company.
The usage and direction of Odessa-Brody pipeline is considered to be
of considerable geopolitical significance and has thus been the subject of
both political disagreement and international pressure. The pipeline was
originally intended to reach Gdansk in order to transfer oil from the
Caspian Sea (mainly from Kazakhstan) to the Polish Baltic Sea port and
from there to the rest of Europe. The Pivdenny maritime terminal in Odessa
and the pipeline between Odessa and Brody were built in 2001 and the state
oil transport company Ukrtransnafta was established to develop the
commercial attractiveness of the Odessa-Brody pipeline. However, the
pipeline remained unused until 2004.
However, as sufficient capacities of oil supplies were not agreed, on
5 July 2004 the Ukrainian cabinet accepted proposal of Russian oil
companies to reverse the pipeline flow, and thus making it transfer
Russian oil southwards to the Black Sea and from there to Mediterranean
destinations. Currently the oil is shipped to the pipeline from the
junction of the southern branch of Druzhba pipeline.
The current length of the pipeline is 674 kilometres. The pipeline is
operated by Ukrtransnafta, and the oil is shipped by TNK-BP. In 2006
TNK-BP pumped 3.42 million tonnes of oil through the pipeline. In 2007,
this volume was exceeded as already during seven month in January-July
almost 5.3 million tonnes of oil were pumped.
Yushchenko also noted that the two countries have strengthened
cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian spheres. In this context he
emphasised the importance of the opening in Baku on Monday of a monument
to the great Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, and the planned publication
here of Shevchenko's collected works in two volumes in the Azerbaijani
language.
Yushchenko also noted "positive changes" in Ukrainian-Azerbaijani
energy projects. "I am pleased with how the energy projects develop and
become a reality," Yushchenko said during his talks in Baku, the
presidential press service said on Monday. He positively assessed the
state of bilateral relations.
Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev noted the intensity of bilateral
contacts, recalling his visit to Ukraine in May of this year. According to
Aliyev, all questions of bilateral relations on the agenda were resolved
to the benefit of both countries.
This is already Yushchenko's third visit in Azerbaijan over the last
two years. In September 2006 he paid an official visit to Baku and
participated in the GUAM summit in the Azerbaijani capital in June 2007.
Ukraine will reach one billion US dollars in the coming eighteen months, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said at a press conference in Baku on Monday after talks with President of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliyev.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that the dynamics of bilateral
relations, first of all in the sphere of trade "is very vigorous." "In
2007, the trade turnover between our countries increased by one-third, and
in the coming eighteen months we will reach the level of one billion
dollars," said Yushchenko. According to him, "there is a good legislative
groundwork for this."
On the whole, believes the Ukrainian president, the
Azerbaijani-Ukrainian relations "are of special nature." "It is pleasant
for me to note that over recent years these relations have been on the
rise, developing very dynamically," the Ukrainian head of state added.
Touching upon the energy projects Yushchenko stressed that "they have
been developing normally, including the project for the transportation of
Caspian oil to European Union countries via Ukraine." He referred to the
Odessa-Brody route with an extension to Plock and Gdansk (Poland) that is
now being filled with Russian oil and is working in a reverse mode.
The Odessa-Brody pipeline is a crude oil pipeline between the
Ukrainian cities Odessa at the Black Sea, and Brody near the
Ukrainian-Polish border. There are plans to expand the pipeline to P_ock,
and furthermore to Gdansk in Poland. The pipeline is operated by
Ukrtransnafta, the Ukraine's state-owned oil pipeline company.
The usage and direction of Odessa-Brody pipeline is considered to be
of considerable geopolitical significance and has thus been the subject of
both political disagreement and international pressure. The pipeline was
originally intended to reach Gdansk in order to transfer oil from the
Caspian Sea (mainly from Kazakhstan) to the Polish Baltic Sea port and
from there to the rest of Europe. The Pivdenny maritime terminal in Odessa
and the pipeline between Odessa and Brody were built in 2001 and the state
oil transport company Ukrtransnafta was established to develop the
commercial attractiveness of the Odessa-Brody pipeline. However, the
pipeline remained unused until 2004.
However, as sufficient capacities of oil supplies were not agreed, on
5 July 2004 the Ukrainian cabinet accepted proposal of Russian oil
companies to reverse the pipeline flow, and thus making it transfer
Russian oil southwards to the Black Sea and from there to Mediterranean
destinations. Currently the oil is shipped to the pipeline from the
junction of the southern branch of Druzhba pipeline.
The current length of the pipeline is 674 kilometres. The pipeline is
operated by Ukrtransnafta, and the oil is shipped by TNK-BP. In 2006
TNK-BP pumped 3.42 million tonnes of oil through the pipeline. In 2007,
this volume was exceeded as already during seven month in January-July
almost 5.3 million tonnes of oil were pumped.
Yushchenko also noted that the two countries have strengthened
cooperation in the cultural and humanitarian spheres. In this context he
emphasised the importance of the opening in Baku on Monday of a monument
to the great Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, and the planned publication
here of Shevchenko's collected works in two volumes in the Azerbaijani
language.
Yushchenko also noted "positive changes" in Ukrainian-Azerbaijani
energy projects. "I am pleased with how the energy projects develop and
become a reality," Yushchenko said during his talks in Baku, the
presidential press service said on Monday. He positively assessed the
state of bilateral relations.
Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev noted the intensity of bilateral
contacts, recalling his visit to Ukraine in May of this year. According to
Aliyev, all questions of bilateral relations on the agenda were resolved
to the benefit of both countries.
This is already Yushchenko's third visit in Azerbaijan over the last
two years. In September 2006 he paid an official visit to Baku and
participated in the GUAM summit in the Azerbaijani capital in June 2007.
