Solemn ceremony to lay the foundation of the Southern Gas Corridor held in Baku

Baku. 20 September. REPORT.AZ/ A solemn ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Contract of the Century and lay the foundation of the Southern Gas Corridor has been held at the Heydar Aliyev Centre.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the heads of state and government attended the ceremony.
First President Ilham Aliyev, the heads of state and government posed together for photographs.
The head of state addressed the event.
Other speakers at the ceremony included President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Samaras and Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Dukanovic.
A video address by President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso was featured.
Then Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey Taner Yıldız addressed the event, Ambassador of Norway to Azerbaijan Bård Ivar Svendsen read out a congratulatory message of Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
Minister of Energy and Industry of Albania Damian Gjiknuri, Minister of State for Trade and Investment of the United Kingdom Lord Livingston and Deputy Minister for Economic Development of Italy Claudio De Vincenti also made speeches at the event.
Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs of the U.S. Department of State Amos Hochstein addressed the ceremony and read out a congratulatory message of Secretary of State John Kerry.
Then BP Group chief executive Robert Dudley and President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic Rovnag Abdullayev delivered speeches.
At the end of the ceremony, a promotional video on Azerbaijan-initiated energy projects was demonstrated.
Then the heads of state and government laid the foundation of the Southern Gas Corridor in Sangachal.