Aliyev invites Ukraine to participate in Southern Gas Corridor project

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has invited Ukraine to participate in the Southern Gas Corridor project.

This issue was discussed at a meeting between the Azerbaijani leader and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Turkey, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reported.

The report notes that "special attention" was paid at the meeting to further deepening of cooperation in the energy sector.

The presidents also "showed the willingness of the parties to further expand mutually beneficial relations in the trilateral format Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Turkey."

In addition, the heads of state "noted with satisfaction" the intensification of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani dialogue at all levels, as well as the effective functioning of the bilateral mechanisms of sectoral cooperation.

In particular, in the context of preparations for holding in Kyiv the next meeting of the joint Ukrainian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation the sides noted a significant increase in trade between the two countries last year.

According to Ukraine's Presidential Administration, Aliyev thanked Poroshenko for creating favorable conditions for the opening of the Trade House of Azerbaijan in Kyiv.

The presidents stressed the mutual unchanging support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries. The parties exchanged views on preparations for the sixth meeting of the Council of Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan as part of the planned official visit of the Azerbaijani president to Ukraine.

Later, Svyatoslav Tsegolko wrote on Twitter that the invitation to the Southern Gas Corridor project would enable Ukraine to "receive Azerbaijani gas in the future."

On June 12, Poroshenko is on a working visit to Turkey where he will take part in the ceremony to launch of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline.

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