From Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

14 September 2017, 16:33

His Excellency Mr Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Dear President Aliyev,

I would like to offer my warmest congratulations on the renewal of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) oil field contract between the BP led consortium and SOCAR.

The contract renewal reinforces, for decades to come, the deep and special co-operation between the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan in the energy field.

The United Kingdom, and BP in particular, has played a significant role in the long-term development of Azerbaijan’s economy since the original “contract of the century” was signed to develop the ACG oil field in 1994. This major investment allowed Azerbaijan, for the first time, to enjoy the full benefit of its natural resources in the Caspian Sea as a fully sovereign and independent nation.

The completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in 2006 was another significant landmark that allowed Azerbaijan to securely transport oil to world markets without fear of disruption.

The Southern Gas Corridor, when complete in 2020, will represent the final stage in Azerbaijan’s transformation into a major exporter of natural gas to Europe. The contribution this network of pipelines will make to the security of energy supplies is warmly welcomed by the United Kingdom.

I am sorry that I cannot be with you in Baku on 14 September to celebrate the renewal of the ACG contract. It is an important long-term investment that will help solidify our strategic partnership in the energy field and contribute to our joint prosperity for years to come.

I wish you every success with the signing ceremony and hope we can find an opportunity to meet soon.

 

Theresa May

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom