Kazakhstan should increase, stabilize oil exports via Azerbaijan - Tokayev

ASTANA/BAKU. April 10 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan should increase the volume of oil deliveries via Azerbaijan and put this process onto a long-term and stable footing, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

"We attached special significance to stepping up energy cooperation. Our priority today is to further diversify energy supplies to global markets," Tokayev said at a joint press briefing with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Astana.

The first consignment of Kazakh oil was shipped via Azerbaijan earlier this year, Tokayev said. "The next step is increasing the volume of shipments and putting them onto a long-term and stable footing," he said.

Tokayev emphasized the importance of unleashing the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor.

"It is very important to fully utilize the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route's potential. I am talking about enhancing logistical services, setting up common transport operators, updating technical and tariff conditions, eliminating administrative barriers, and forming a complete logistical cycle," he said.

"The efficient implementation of the Middle Corridor development roadmap for 2022-2027 is also of great significance," he said.

"We agreed that it is important to fully take advantage of the growing interest in this route and engage third countries in its infrastructural development. All these measures, as well as close interaction with our international partners, would help guarantee stable and prompt cargo deliveries via the East-West route," Tokayev said.

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Integration Minister Serik Zhumangarin told journalists in Baku earlier that Kazakhstan was determined to increase the amount of oil shipments via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan route. In particular, it plans to ship 1.5 million tonnes of oil via this route in 2023 under a contract between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and KazMunayGas.

Shipments of oil from the Tengiz Field under this agreement and via this route started in March 2022.

In addition, KazTransOil tested the shipment of 7,000 tonnes of oil from the Kashagan Field via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in March. Hence, the overall volume of Kazakh oil shipped via Azerbaijan amounted to about 27,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2023.