Erdogan deemed worthy of statesman of the year award

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was deemed worthy of the Statesman of the Year Award as part of the Caspian Forum, organized by the Caspian Strategy Institute. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag received the award on behalf of Erdogan in a ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Bozdag said that there was a new and comprehensive transition period caused by developments in Northern Africa and Middle East, as well as the global economic crisis deeply influencing Europe, and thus the process would important impacts on global order. "The new Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) which will enable Caspian region to make more effective use of its potential will be implemented in the next five years. The Baku-Tbilisi Crude Oil Pipeline (BTC P/L) Project is considered as the greatest project of the 20th century," Bozdag added. As part of the ceremony, TANAP was deemed worthy of the Best Project Award, which was received by Chairman of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) Rovnag Abdullayev on behalf of Azerbaijan, and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on behalf of Turkey.