The meeting took place at the Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels. Minister Aliyev expressed his support for the International Energy Charter, the political declaration to be adopted in May 2015. The Minister remarked that international cooperation in the energy sector was essential for realising large-scale infrastructure projects across the borders of many nations. Azerbaijan is working with various partner countries on the southern gas corridor and is planning new strategic projects to ensure energy security for all. Minister Aliyev also referred to encouraging developments in Azerbaijan's upstream energy sector and underlined the growing importance of energy saving and efficiency.
Secretary General Dr. Rusnák highlighted the historic role of the Energy Charter Treaty for Azerbaijan in transition from an energy consuming country to a world-class energy producer attracting large investments and technologies. Over the years Azerbaijan has also become an investor country involved in many projects in different parts of the world.
Azerbaijan chairs the Energy Charter Investment Group, which addresses core issues of investment promotion and protection, including new initiatives on alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the energy sector. Secretary General Rusnák also noted the well established cooperation with experts from SOCAR in the context of the Energy Charter Industry Advisory Panel.
Secretary General Dr. Rusnák also conveyed an invitation to Minister Aliyev to attend the meeting of the Task Force on East-West Electricity Corridors in South Caucasus on 30 June 2015 in Tbilisi. The Task Force is established under Georgia’s Energy Charter Chairmanship and is intended to boost the development of a regional electricity market in the region.
Concluding this fruitful meeting, Amb. Isgandarov spoke of the potential of energy diplomacy for the widening and deepening of the Energy Charter Process. Both sides also expressed interest in signing a Memorandum of Understanding during the upcoming Ministerial Conference on the International Energy Charter in The Hague on 20-21 May to enhance cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Charter. Agreement was also reached on jointly organising a Baku Energy Charter Forum in 2016.