Yildiz attends World Economic Forum in Baku

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz who is currently in Baku, Azerbaijan to attend the World Economic Forum held a meeting with the Director of Azerbaijan's state oil company, SOCAR, Rovnag Abdullayev. Following the meeting, Yildiz and Abdullayev held a joint press conference and replied the questions of reporters. Speaking at the press conference, Yildiz said that they may hold joint projects with Azerbaijan or with third countries in the East Mediterranean. Yildiz noted that as long as the politics were not putting stress on the energy field, the sector would ease and more projects would come out, adding that both Azerbaijan and Turkey are agreeing on joint projects thanks to a long lasting stability in the two countries. Underlining that a recent Israeli apology to Ankara over the Mavi Marmara raid should not be seen as an excuse for future energy partnerships with this country, Yildiz said, "But it is possible that cooperation in energy between Turkey and Israel follow an anticipated rapprochement." For his part, Abdullayev said the company would invest $17 billion in Turkey in the next five years, stating that the investments will be the largest foreign direct investment of the republic's history.