The governments of Greece, Ital y and Albania have today cemented their full
support for and commitment to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project by
signing a tri-lateral intergovernmental agreement (IGA).
Concluded
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, the IGA solidifies a range of key
commitments by Greece, Italy and Albania to the forward development,
construction and operation of the TAP pipeline. Within the framework of the
Community Treaties and the Energy Community Treaty, the IGA will ensure that the
states cooperate in the timely delivery and efficient operation of the TAP
pipeline.
Kjetil
Tungland, TAP’s Managing Director, said:
“I would like to thank all the governments for their support and dedication
resulting in the signing of this important agreement today. This agreement
between TAP's host countries lays the strong foundation and long term security
that is required to move the proj ect forward towards selection and
construction. We now look ahead to continuing our fruitful cooperation in making
the TAP project a reality.”
Michael
Hoffmann, TAP’s External Affairs Director,
stated: “The signing of the IGA further reinforces the host governments’ support
for TAP from a legal and regulatory perspective. For TAP, this concludes the
last remaining high level international political agreement, which is important
for the upcoming selection process by the Shah Deniz Consortium.”
TAP is
one of the pipeline projects being developed to transport Shah Deniz gas to
Europe and is the only pipeline option that will cross Greece. The Shah Deniz
Consortium will make their final selection of the Southern Gas Corridor project
to transport Shah Deniz gas by June 2013.
The
Trans Adriatic Pipeline will bring significant foreign direct investment and
jobs associated with the construction of this major pipeline in all three host
countries – Greece, Albania and Italy.