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APA, Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2013
Lord Peter Mandelson: `Azerbaijan is on the voyage of making history
again' - INTERVIEW
[ 08 November 2013 17:52 ]
Baku - APA. APA's exclusive interview with Lord Peter Mandelson,
member of the British House of Lords
- What is the level of relationship between Great Britain and Azerbaijan?
- I am very pleased that the relationship between Azerbaijan and
Britain is very strong. And I go back many decades. I mean the chief
sample of it. It is of course the presence of BP which is so central
to the oil industry in this country. And I am very proud of this fact.
BP produces such an excellent job. The facilities which they have when
I visited are so well organized, so clean. There is a wonderful
advertisement for Azerbaijan. But it is a time for us not to rest on
an existing relationship but to build on what we have created between
our two countries. That's why we want to see the British companies
very heavily involved in the next phases of Azerbaijan economic
development in diversification.
- What do you think about Azerbaijan's role in European energy security?
- Of course Azerbaijan is known in a fact as an oil capital of this
part of the world. Azerbaijan made a history with the first drilling
for oil that took place a century ago. In fact, Azerbaijan is on the
voyage of making history again. Suddenly Azerbaijan becomes not just
oil capital of this part of the world but it is also gas capital as
well. I'm sure that it will happen with the construction of the
Southern Gas Corridor Project. It will be the biggest infrastructure,
construction, engineering project. I think that this project will put
Azerbaijan on the map for the second time. Not only for oil, but also
for gas. This project is very important for Europe indeed, because
Europe needs for its energy security absolutely solid, reliable,
stable suppliers. That is how we view Azerbaijan and that's what the
Southern Gas Corridor when it is constructed will facilitate.
- What can you say about the energy cooperation between the two
countries? The main projects ensuring gas delivery to Europe are being
carried out within the cooperation with BP...
- I think the relationship between the Great Britain and Azerbaijan on
energy goes back so far. It has a history, it is now path of the
tradition it is path of the fabric here of the economy and of the
country. BP is such a presence here and very welcomed. I know all of
them, whom I have spoken to in Baku since I arrived here, BP is very
well regarded and of course BP's commitment to Azerbaijan is very
strong indeed. And it is going to remain very strong. I know that from
everyone I have spoken. But we have got to use that as a spring board
to create other source of economic and social relationship. What I
want to see the people of Azerbaijan and Britain are mixed coming back
as much more freely. And I want investment and jobs to follow that. I
hope that in the next decade we will see that coming to fruition and
confident that it will.
- Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will provide the cheapest cargo
transportation from China to London. How does Great Britain estimate
this project considering the restoration of the Great Silk Road?
- I know China well. I have traveled a lot in China and the other year
I went to emerging manufacturing power house towards the western side
of China Chang Ching. And I spoke to people, said how do you gain to
get everything you produce and manufacture into Europe's markets and
they said we take it by railways. Now at the moment I think that rail
link goes to the north of Azerbaijan, I think it goes through Russia.
But we want to see new logistics, new connectivity, new transport
links that enable China to bring its goods to Europe through this path
of the world rather than an addition, to gain through Russia. I think
it is a very, very exciting prospect and a major investment which
people should get behind.
It is the modern day Silk Way isn't it. I mean people in previous
centuries have found the most convenient, the safest, the cheapest,
the most economic way of bringing the goods to market of fast-fast
distances. Exactly it is not the same case now, because we have so
many different forms, many more quicker forms of transport. But I
think we have to find the best road.
I think what we see now is Azerbaijan potentially developing as quite
important logistical and transport, commercial hub. Through port,
through city, through hub people and goods can be transported to the
larger markets of the world in so many different areas in addition to
oil and gas. Obviously oil and gas remain absolutely central been
first oil and gas providing a central link, bridge between Azerbaijan
and Europe. But in my view we can see the time coming quite quickly
when Azerbaijan is emerging as a key logistical staging post
transportation link and hub for many more goods. And that contains
within it a huge economic price for Azerbaijan which if it organizes
itself, invests properly, gets the entrepreneurship, enables provident
price to follow with distinctness judgments, will be yet another major
take off point for this country.
- What is the position of the United Kingdom regarding the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?
- Well, it is the conflict which is going on for too long. It is the
conflict which the rest of the world, including Britain wants to be
resolved. We are very familiar with what it takes to resolve disputes
of this kind. That is why we support the work of Minsk group in the
process that is underway. We want that the process be given real
chance, to real opportunity. But that takes the commitment of the two
principal parties of this dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan are
demonstrating all commitment to the peaceful and fair settlement of
the conflict.
- Does the British Parliament intend to adopt resolutions on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Khojaly genocide?
- I am not aware of an initiative been taken within the British
parliament. My view is that the top priority is not to take positions,
is not to grand stands, is not to deliver great pronouncement, but to
use energy and good will that we have towards this part of the world,
the people to find the resolution of this dispute which is going on
painfully too long.
- As the head of the British Policy Network think tank, how do you
think why the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
protracted?
- The think tank doesn't have a position on political issues or
disputes. So it doesn't have a policy to express about it. But I am
quite sure that my think tank which I am president thinks that this
conflict is ripe for resolution that needs to be done through
mediation. That mediation has to be respected by both sides. And
earning with that commitment we will be able to put this dispute
behind this.
Nov 8 2013
Lord Peter Mandelson: `Azerbaijan is on the voyage of making history
again' - INTERVIEW
[ 08 November 2013 17:52 ]
Baku - APA. APA's exclusive interview with Lord Peter Mandelson,
member of the British House of Lords
- What is the level of relationship between Great Britain and Azerbaijan?
- I am very pleased that the relationship between Azerbaijan and
Britain is very strong. And I go back many decades. I mean the chief
sample of it. It is of course the presence of BP which is so central
to the oil industry in this country. And I am very proud of this fact.
BP produces such an excellent job. The facilities which they have when
I visited are so well organized, so clean. There is a wonderful
advertisement for Azerbaijan. But it is a time for us not to rest on
an existing relationship but to build on what we have created between
our two countries. That's why we want to see the British companies
very heavily involved in the next phases of Azerbaijan economic
development in diversification.
- What do you think about Azerbaijan's role in European energy security?
- Of course Azerbaijan is known in a fact as an oil capital of this
part of the world. Azerbaijan made a history with the first drilling
for oil that took place a century ago. In fact, Azerbaijan is on the
voyage of making history again. Suddenly Azerbaijan becomes not just
oil capital of this part of the world but it is also gas capital as
well. I'm sure that it will happen with the construction of the
Southern Gas Corridor Project. It will be the biggest infrastructure,
construction, engineering project. I think that this project will put
Azerbaijan on the map for the second time. Not only for oil, but also
for gas. This project is very important for Europe indeed, because
Europe needs for its energy security absolutely solid, reliable,
stable suppliers. That is how we view Azerbaijan and that's what the
Southern Gas Corridor when it is constructed will facilitate.
- What can you say about the energy cooperation between the two
countries? The main projects ensuring gas delivery to Europe are being
carried out within the cooperation with BP...
- I think the relationship between the Great Britain and Azerbaijan on
energy goes back so far. It has a history, it is now path of the
tradition it is path of the fabric here of the economy and of the
country. BP is such a presence here and very welcomed. I know all of
them, whom I have spoken to in Baku since I arrived here, BP is very
well regarded and of course BP's commitment to Azerbaijan is very
strong indeed. And it is going to remain very strong. I know that from
everyone I have spoken. But we have got to use that as a spring board
to create other source of economic and social relationship. What I
want to see the people of Azerbaijan and Britain are mixed coming back
as much more freely. And I want investment and jobs to follow that. I
hope that in the next decade we will see that coming to fruition and
confident that it will.
- Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will provide the cheapest cargo
transportation from China to London. How does Great Britain estimate
this project considering the restoration of the Great Silk Road?
- I know China well. I have traveled a lot in China and the other year
I went to emerging manufacturing power house towards the western side
of China Chang Ching. And I spoke to people, said how do you gain to
get everything you produce and manufacture into Europe's markets and
they said we take it by railways. Now at the moment I think that rail
link goes to the north of Azerbaijan, I think it goes through Russia.
But we want to see new logistics, new connectivity, new transport
links that enable China to bring its goods to Europe through this path
of the world rather than an addition, to gain through Russia. I think
it is a very, very exciting prospect and a major investment which
people should get behind.
It is the modern day Silk Way isn't it. I mean people in previous
centuries have found the most convenient, the safest, the cheapest,
the most economic way of bringing the goods to market of fast-fast
distances. Exactly it is not the same case now, because we have so
many different forms, many more quicker forms of transport. But I
think we have to find the best road.
I think what we see now is Azerbaijan potentially developing as quite
important logistical and transport, commercial hub. Through port,
through city, through hub people and goods can be transported to the
larger markets of the world in so many different areas in addition to
oil and gas. Obviously oil and gas remain absolutely central been
first oil and gas providing a central link, bridge between Azerbaijan
and Europe. But in my view we can see the time coming quite quickly
when Azerbaijan is emerging as a key logistical staging post
transportation link and hub for many more goods. And that contains
within it a huge economic price for Azerbaijan which if it organizes
itself, invests properly, gets the entrepreneurship, enables provident
price to follow with distinctness judgments, will be yet another major
take off point for this country.
- What is the position of the United Kingdom regarding the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?
- Well, it is the conflict which is going on for too long. It is the
conflict which the rest of the world, including Britain wants to be
resolved. We are very familiar with what it takes to resolve disputes
of this kind. That is why we support the work of Minsk group in the
process that is underway. We want that the process be given real
chance, to real opportunity. But that takes the commitment of the two
principal parties of this dispute. Armenia and Azerbaijan are
demonstrating all commitment to the peaceful and fair settlement of
the conflict.
- Does the British Parliament intend to adopt resolutions on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Khojaly genocide?
- I am not aware of an initiative been taken within the British
parliament. My view is that the top priority is not to take positions,
is not to grand stands, is not to deliver great pronouncement, but to
use energy and good will that we have towards this part of the world,
the people to find the resolution of this dispute which is going on
painfully too long.
- As the head of the British Policy Network think tank, how do you
think why the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
protracted?
- The think tank doesn't have a position on political issues or
disputes. So it doesn't have a policy to express about it. But I am
quite sure that my think tank which I am president thinks that this
conflict is ripe for resolution that needs to be done through
mediation. That mediation has to be respected by both sides. And
earning with that commitment we will be able to put this dispute
behind this.