Azerbaijan, Baku, Apr. 7 / Trend /
Azerbaijan plays a major role as a producer and transit country, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said before his upcoming visit to Baku.
The statement notes that energy is central to EU-Azerbaijan relations.
"Europe offers an attractive market for producers looking to diversify their customer structure," he was quoted by the EU Baku Office as saying. "This provides a basis for constructive relations benefiting both Azerbaijan and Europe."
The commissioner expressed hope for Azerbaijan's continued commitment to develop the Southern Corridor, which will facilitate gas transport from Azerbaijan and the wider region to Europe. European companies are prime investors in developing Azerbaijan's full hydrocarbon export potential.
The Southern Corridor is a priority EU energy project. The project aims to diversify routes and supply sources, thus increasing EU energy security. The Nabucco gas pipeline, which is the main element of the Southern Corridor Project, aims to transport gas from the Caspian region and the Middle East to the EU. Azerbaijan is considered as a potential gas supplier for the project.