The cooperation between Greece and Azerbaijan in the economic sector has deepened, especially after the selection of the TAP gas pipeline, which will transport natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe through Greece, and the majority participation of Azeri SOCAR into Greek gas operator DESFA’s shareholding structure, Greek President Karolos Papoulias said after a meeting with his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

Aliyev is paying an official visit to Athens following an invitation by President Papoulias.

The political relations between the two countries are undergoing constant development, and so are in the cultural sector, the Greek President said pointing to the teaching of Greek language at the Baku Slavic University. Papoulias briefed his Azeri counterpart on the Greek national issues and in particular the talks on the Cyprus issue, which are, as he said, in a critical phase, with the aim to find a viable and workable solution that would put an end to the Turkish occupation.

Moreover, Aliyev said that his second visit to Greece demonstrates the high level of the relations and cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the energy sector: “Energy security is of strategic importance and the TAP pipeline is not only an energy project, but the upgrading of relations between Azerbaijan and Greece.” The Azeri president added that the TAP pipeline and the exploitation of the Shah Deniz gas field are important for Europe: “Thanks to those, gas will be coming to European markets for decades,” he said.

Papoulias and Aliyev attended the signing of three agreements between the two countries by the Government Vice-President and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos and his Azeri counterpart for cooperation in the agricultural sector, youth issues and a memorandum on EU and Azerbaijan issues.