Azerbaijan’s “hydrocarbon theme” and energy potential make the country and its positions on different issues more attractive for international community, Konstantin Simonov, the head of the National Energy Security Fund, said at a conference held in Yerevan. 

The expert considers that Azerbaijan is actively speculating about its energy potential to achieve certain political goals. Azerbaijan urges different countries to purchase their gas or oil, to participate in certain transit projects, realizing that implementation of some of these projects is unreal due to situation over Iran and unresolved regional problems. However, many countries, including Russia and Iran, readily agree to purchase Azerbaijani energy resources, the expert stated. Therefore, Azerbaijan feels itself a regional leader.

Simonov also noted that Russia’s buying of Azerbaijani gas is inexpedient, as Moscow purchases gas at European price and distributes inside the country due to local tariffs. According to him, energy and economic hegemony of Azerbaijan will grow in the region in the nearest future. “On the other hand, Azerbaijan realizes that it should manage to solve all its problems in 15 years till it has oil and gas reserves,” he concluded.