|
Каспинфо ноябрь 1999 |
|
Название: Короткие сообщения на английском языке Главные Пункты: * Conoco объявила о закрытии своего бакинского офиса после неудавшихся переговоров о возрождении сектора нефтяного месторождения Гюнешли. * Иранский министр иностранных дел подписал соглашение с Туркменистаном о строительстве плотины и сотрудничестве в разработке каспийских нефтяных месторождений. * Ученые Гарвардского Университета оценили перспективы успеха и долгосрочной стабильности в каспийском регионе. * Перспективы сооружения туркменского газопровода неясны. * Аксенено не смог убедить Азербайджан в выгодности северного маршрута экспора нефти в обход Чечни. * Анонс конференции "Нефть и газ Каспия , 2000" в Баку. * И другие сообщения. (10.11.1999) Полный Текст Короткие сообщения на английском языке RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 208, Part I, 25 October 1999 IVANOV COMPLAINS TO ALBRIGHT OVER 'BLOCKING' OF OIL CONTRACTS WITH IRAQ. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arguing that it is "unacceptable" that the U.S. is blocking Russian oil contracts under the UN's Iraqi oil-for-food program, RIA- Novosti reported on 23 October. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ordzhonikidze, who handed the letter to U.S. permanent representative to the UN Richard Holbrooke, told journalists that Ivanov described the U.S. practice as clearly "selective," particularly with regard to the state company Zarubezhneft. Similar contracts concluded by other states pass the UN sanctions committee "unimpeded," the letter maintained. Zarubezhneft and other Russian companies fully comply with the Security Council norms, Ordzhonikidze said, adding that Moscow believes the U.S. is seeking to prevent Russia companies from consolidating their position on the Iraqi oil market in order to "reserve this chance" for U.S. companies in the future. JC ************** KAZAKH PREMIER ENDORSES MULTIPLE PIPELINES. Following talks in Astana on 22 October with his visiting Azerbaijani counterpart, Artur Rasizade, Qasymzhomart Toqaev told journalists that Kazakhstan supports the planned Baku-Ceyhan pipeline as one of several to export Kazakhstan's oil, Interfax reported. Rasizade said Azerbaijan does not rule out the possibility of routing oil export pipelines via Iran and Armenia if a peace treaty is signed with the latter. Rasizade added that the two countries have only unspecified "minor differences" over the status of the Caspian Sea. The previous day, Russian Fuel and Energy Minister Viktor Kalyuzhnyi expressed doubts that the financial obstacles to the Baku- Ceyhan project will ever be surmounted, according to Interfax. He added that the assembly of pipe for an alternative stretch of the existing Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline bypassing Chechnya will begin this week. LF RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 210, Part I, 27 October 1999 EBRD DENIES CO-FUNDING CHECHEN BYPASS PIPELINE. A spokesman at the London headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development denied on 26 October that the bank is contributing to the funding of the oil pipeline bypassing Chechnya, ITAR-TASS reported. The construction of the pipeline began the same day. Interfax on 19 October had quoted Semen Vainshtok, director of the Russian pipeline operator Transneft, as saying that Russia's Sberbank and the EBRD has agreed to guarantee $120 million to fund that project. Transneft Deputy Director Sergei Ter-Sarkisyants said on 26 October that the company has lowered the cost of the bypass pipeline from more than $180 million to under $100 million and could provide at least half of that sum from its own funds. LF ANOTHER WESTERN OIL COMPANY PULLS OUT OF AZERBAIJAN. The Houston-based oil company Conoco has announced the closure of its Baku office, following its failure after three years of talks to reach agreement with the Azerbaijan state oil company SOCAR on reviving the shallow-water sector of the Gyuneshli oil field, Business Wire and Interfax reported on 21 and 26 October, respectively. Meanwhile a SOCAR spokesman told Interfax on 21 October that he opposes the over-hasty implementation of plans for the company's partial privatization. Under those plans, which President Aliev has not yet approved, the state would retain a 15 percent stake in SOCAR and in the Azerkhimiya, Azerigaz and Azerenergiya companies. Thirty percent of the shares would be sold at a cash auction and the remaining 55 percent for vouchers. LF RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 211, Part I, 29 October 1999 Kazakhstan USA CALL UPON KAZAKHSTAN TO JOIN MEP PROJECT 12 OCTOBER, AZER-PRESS-PRIME-NEWS BAKU,- Kazakhstan announced the start of the new, and the development of the existing oil export projects, but nothing was said about Baku-Ceyhan route. The officials of Kazakhstan's ministry of energy, industries and trade believe that the absence of any activity does not mean MEP is being ignored. US's John Wolf said, following the meeting with President Nazarbayev, that 'the US administration considered MEP Baku-Ceyhan as a pipeline that will be available for all the countries of the region'. Mobil, Shell and Chevron are expected to finish the feasibility report for the project of exporting oil by Aktau-Baku-the Mediterranean route. It is envisaged that MEP will take oil volumes over from the sub sea pipeline connecting the Western coast of Kazakhstan with Baku. Astana does not show special ardor as regards this project, but, as said President Nazarbayev, 'Kazakhstan actively works on the establishment of a new multi-optional pipeline network that would be capable of ensuring Kazakh oil exports destined for various regions of the world'. The project of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium will allow transporting oil from Tengiz field to Novorossiysk. The pipeline, it is expected, will be put into operation in June 2001 with the initial capacity of 28.2 mln. The feasibility report for the pipeline to Iran is also in progress, and yet another one on the pipeline from Western Kazakhstan to China is planned to be ready in October. Among all these, MEP Baku-Ceyhan is ranked as 'expected project'. How Kazakhstan to play major role in Baku-Ceyhan, says Wolf Posted Tuesday, October 19, 1999 - 13:48 by News Editor Following a meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, John Wolf, US presidential adviser on Caspian energy, said the former Soviet republic must play a major role -in the development of the project in which an oil pipeline will connect the Azeri capital Baku to Ceyhan, a Turkish Mediterranean seaport. The meeting concentrated on fuel issues, Interfax quoted him as saying. He briefed Nazarbayev on the Baku-Ceyhan project, Wolf said. Once the pipeline is operational, Kazakhstan will be able to begin the development of new oil fields and step up the production in the old ones, he told Nazarbayev. The pipeline will make Western markets accessible to Kazakh oil, Wolf added. The United States has lobbied hard for the pipeline. But Wolf said that there was more to the project than a political issue. Kazakhstan's involvement in that project may supplement another project - the Caspian Pipeline Consortium - which provides for laying a pipeline from Tengiz oil field in western Kazakhstan to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk he said. The US Administration believes that all Caspian countries must have access to the Baku Ceyhan pipeline, according to him. The project will be viable if it is economically feasible, Wolf said. Estimates of the costs of constructing a Baku-Ceyhan pipeline vary from US$ 2.4 million to four billion. This issue is for regional countries to resolve, Wolf said. The Kazakh-Russian agreement on the delimitation of the Caspian seabed is a showcase of success in the negotiating process, he said. Wolf called on other countries to sign similar agreements. However, the pipeline may provide commercially unprofitable without Kazakh oil, as it would fail to reach the projected 60 mln tons'. ************* Turkmenistan Iran, Turkmenistan sign agreement on dam, cooperation 21 Oct 1999 MOSCOW, Oct 21 (AFP) - Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi has signed agreements with Turkmenistan to build a dam and cooperate in developing Caspian oil fields, ITAR-TASS reported Thursday. Kharazi, who met Wednesday with President Saparmurat Niyazov in Ashghabad, also discussed exporting Turkmen electricity to Turkey via Iran, the news agency said. Niyazov asked Kharazi to try to influence Turkey into taking a decision sooner, as Turkmenistan "is ready to export electricity anytime." The sides signed an inter-governmental agreement on joint construction of a dam on the Tejen River near the Iran-Turkmenistan border. The sides agreed to co-operate in developing Caspian Sea oil fields. Niyazov also suggested creating an Iranian-Turkmen consortium designed to build a highway between the two countries. The Iranian Company Dobral has built a road in Turkmenistan that was opened Wednesday. *********** *#1. Caucasus: Scholars Ponder Prospects For Caspian Stability By Michael Lelyveld Boston, 1 November 1999 (RFE/RL) -- Scholars at Harvard University pondered the prospects for succession and long-term stability in the Caspian region last week during a period of both rising violence and hopes for peace. The long-scheduled seminar on the challenges of transition and policy toward the Caucasus and Central Asia coincided with dramatic events in Chechnya and Armenia, giving a heightened sense of urgency to the meeting. The Harvard effort is part of a new Caspian studies program and an "Azerbaijan Initiative" at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, funded by the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and a consortium of companies. Speaking to an audience at the start of the three-day session last Tuesday, Araz Azimov, Azerbaijan's deputy foreign minister, stressed regional security as a major factor in the speed of his country's development. "We're concerned with the increased military pressure in the northern Caucasus," Azimov said, citing the large numbers of Russian armored vehicles brought into play by the Chechnya offensive. Azerbaijan and Georgia both seek an eventual international agreement to exclude any foreign military presence in the area in exchange for the elimination of Russian threats to security, Azimov said. Much of the public discussion was devoted to the region's petroleum development and the outlook for pipelines. Former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director John Deutch voiced skepticism that any of the planned pipelines would be built "in the next dozen years." Ashton Carter, a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, cited the risk of failure unless all regional interests, including Iran, share in the benefits of pipeline development. Much of the work of the program is being conducted in closed meetings of experts who are studying regional policy. The groups are working toward a series of policy recommendations for the U.S. government, said Graham Allison, chairman of the program and director of the Belfer Center at the Kennedy School. Last week, expert panels dealt with issues of succession in the region, where threats to stability are combined with concerns about the age or health of several national leaders. Prospects are uncertain for peaceful transition to the next generation of power across a wide area stretching from the Black Sea to the borders of China. The concerns have been compounded by war, ethnic tensions, and sudden violence, such as last week's assassinations in Armenia. In a paper presented to the conference, Martha Brill Olcott, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said the issue of succession appears to be developing under three different models. The first is dynastic, in which aging leaders hope to pass their power to family members. The second is democratic, relying on institutional development. The third is simply unplanned, or what Olcott calls "avoidance" of the succession question. All present risks and problems, she said. Azerbaijan was cited most clearly as falling under the "dynastic" category because of speculation that Ilham Aliyev, the vice president of the state oil company, will succeed his father Heydar Aliyev as president. To a lesser extent, Kazakhstan may fall into the same category because of the role of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's family in politics, Olcott said. So far, neither leader has shown signs of stepping down. Armenia and Georgia are seen as most likely to rely on elections for future transitions, although both countries are deeply troubled. Kyrgyzstan may also come under the democratic category, although doubts have risen as the country's economy has soured, Olcott said. But the deepest uncertainty surrounds Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, where reliance on one-man rule has created an institutional void and barred even talk of a peaceful succession. Olcott believes that these countries will ultimately prove to be at the greatest risk of instability. In Uzbekistan, opposition to President Islam Karimov has already turned violent and could take over in his absence, although the outcome is unpredictable. In Turkmenistan, there is difficulty in identifying any group that could serve as an alternative to the cult of President Saparmurat Niyazov, Olcott said. The irony of the study is that the countries with the tightest internal security may face the greatest threat to future stability, unless their leaders find new formulas for passing on power. * Business leaders set global rights standards Copyright й 1999 Reuters Limited. *RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC ___________________________________________________________ RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 214, Part I, 3 November 1999 TURKMENISTAN GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION DELAYED? Representatives of the U.S. company PSG, which is the operator of the planned Trans-Caspian gas export pipeline from Turkmenistan to Baku, and PSG's upstream partner, Shell, told journalists in Ashgabat on 2 November after talks with Turkmenistan's President Saparmurat Niyazov that construction of the pipeline will not begin before the end of 2000 and will take two years, Interfax reported. Meeting with Niyazov the same day, Iran's Deputy Petroleum Minister Mehdi Hashemi Bahramani said Iran is prepared to import 8-11 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Turkmenistan. Iran currently receives some 2 billion cubic meters of gas via the Korpedzhe- Kurt Kui pipeline in payment for Iranian infrastructure construction. LF RUSSIA WARNS AGAINST 'POLITICIZING' PIPELINE ROUTES. In Ankara, Russia's Ambassador Aleksandr Lebedev told Interfax on 2 November that politicizing "purely commercial deals" to build pipelines to transport gas to Turkey is "ruinous," Interfax reported. The Blue Stream pipeline to export Russian natural gas to Turkey is expected to be completed by early 2001. LF *RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC ___________________________________________________________ RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 215, Part I, 4 November 1999 PUTIN CALLS FOR VISA REGIME FOR AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA. Speaking at a cabinet session on 4 November, Prime Minister Putin ordered the Foreign Ministry to begin negotiations with Azerbaijan and Georgia on imposing a temporary visa requirement for citizens of those countries wishing to enter Russia, ITAR-TASS reported. Putin argued that such a step is necessary to prevent Chechen gunmen freely crossing into the Russian Federation from those two countries. Russian Border Guard Commander Konstantin Totskii reported to the meeting on his talks two days earlier with his Georgian counterpart, Valerii Chkheidze. At those talks, Chkheidze refused to agree to Russian and Georgian frontier guards joint patrolling the Chechen sector of the Russian-Georgian border. Totskii said that at present only 70 Georgian border guards patrol the 80- kilometer stretch of border but that number will be increased to 100. LF *Date: 11/8/99 2:56 PM From: John Deever RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC ___________________________________________________________ RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 217, Part I, 8 November 1999 ...FAILS TO PERSUADE AZERBAIJAN TO SHIP MORE OIL VIA RUSSIA. Meeting with Natik Aliev, president of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR, Aksenenko failed to persuade the oil chief that it would be advantageous for Azerbaijan to agree to export oil via the northern pipeline bypassing Chechnya, which is scheduled for completion by mid-2000, rather than to continue lobbying for construction of the planned Baku-Ceyhan export pipeline. (Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia are scheduled to sign a framework legal agreement on that project at the upcoming OSCE Istanbul summit, and Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze discussed the project with his Turkish counterpart, Suleyman Demirel, in a telephone conversation on 6 November, ITAR-TASS reported.) Kalyuzhnyi offered to allow Azerbaijan to increase from 5 million tons to 12-15 million tons the amount of oil it exports annually via Russia. But SOCAR President Aliev said his company will abide by its agreement to export 5 million tons annually until 2003, according to ITAR-TASS. LF RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 218, Part I, 9 November 1999 RUSSIA, TURKEY FAIL TO SIGN PROTOCOL ON GAS DEAL. The anticipated protocol to the 1997 Russian-Turkish agreement on construction of the "Blue Stream" undersea pipeline to transport Russian gas to Turkey was not signed during Turkish Premier Bulent Ecevit's three day visit to Moscow last week. But Russian Prime Minister Putin said that the failure to sign the document is not "a tragedy," while Ecevit said it will be approved and signed by the Turkish cabinet "in the near future," according to Interfax. Ecevit termed the project beneficial for both countries. Putin expressed satisfaction at the development of bilateral relations, noting that Turkey is one of Russia's major trade partners and engages in military-technical cooperation with Russia, despite its membership in NATO. The two premiers signed four documents on 5 November, including a joint statement condemning terrorism. Ecevit also met on 6 November with Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov to discuss bilateral trade and economic ties. LF RUSSIA, INDIA BOOST DEFENSE TIES. Russia and India have signed an agreement on cooperation in the military sphere. Speaking to journalists after the signing in New Delhi on 5 November, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov said the accord provided for the joint production of Su-30 fighter jets to begin next year and for Russia to lease and eventually sell to India early warning airborne systems, aircraft carriers, and strategic bombers. The two sides also discussed the licensed production of Kilo class submarines and overhauling the submarines India already has. Klebanov added that the accord forms the "foundation" for future military cooperation that will be discussed during President Yeltsin's visit to India in early 2000. JC * RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC ___________________________________________________________ RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 3, No. 219, Part I, 10 November 1999 BLACK GOLD EXPORTS TO SHRINK. Smaller fishing quotas in the Caspian will force Russia to slash its black caviar exports this year, Interfax reported on 9 November citing Deputy Chairman of the State Fisheries Committee Vladimir Izmailov. So far in 1999, Russia has caught less than half the amount of sturgeon compared with the previous year. Black caviar production will likely total only 100 tons this year compared with 120 tons produced only for export last year. JAC *********** CONFERENCE Under the joint chairmanship of Natig Aliyev, President of SOCAR and Susan Whitbread, Chief Executive Officer, Petroconsultants -MAI, the Sixth Caspian Oil and Gas Conference opened with the session 'The Caspian as an investment opportunity - the latest news and achievements on Caspian field development projects' and a keynote address from Natig Aliyev. Subsequent presentations, from major operators currently active in the Caspian Region focussed on current achievements and future field development. The conference, which spanned three days, featured key presentations from senior government and industry representatives from Azerbaijan, France, Georgia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Romania, Russia, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Commission, reflecting a broad international perspective on the potential of the Caspian Region. The increasingly key issue of transportation as well as management of project risk, finance and insurance within the Caspian Region and the important issue of local personnel and equipment supply were also focussed upon. For the first time the conference addressed the increasingly important issue of gas within the domestic and the export market. This dynamic session discussed the potential of the gas market for the whole region and beyond and attracted extremely high level speakers as well as the highest number of delegates ever to any session. In light of exciting recent developments, the 2000 conference will dedicate a whole day to this issue, reflecting once again the importance of the future role of Caspian gas alongside Caspian oil. The Caspian Oil and Gas 2000 conference will be the seventh in the series of major international conferences to run alongside the exhibition, reflecting the current issues and achievements and providing an international forum for the discussion on future opportunities within the regions oil and gas industry. Attendance at the conference is free of charge to all industry-related personnel. In addition to the invitations sent to key speakers, other parties interested in submitting a paper should contact the Caspian Conference Department, Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd, UK. Caspian Oil & Gas 2000 Contacts Chief Executive: Susan Crouch Technical Director: Bryan Weavers Financial Director: Chris Marke Sales and Administration Manager: Maria Williamson Exhibition Sales Administrator: Katie Wise Assistant Project Director & Conference Manager: Suzanne Morris Conference Executive: William Thomson Promotions Co-ordinator: Stephanie Bee Caspian Oil & Gas 2000 is Organised by: Spearhead Exhibitions Limited Ocean House, 50 Kingston Road New Maiden, Surrey KT3 3LZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 8949 9222 Fax: +44(0)2089499868/9869 E-mail: caspian@spearhead.co.uk in partnership with the Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce & Industry Spearhead Exhibitions Azerbaijan Block 68, Apartment 8, Nizami Street, Baku, Azerbaijan Republic Tel: +99412981428 Fax:+994 12 938906 E-mail: Spearh@azeurotel.com Visit our website for constantly updated information on Caspian Oil and Gas 2000 and our other Caspian Events http://www.caspiantimes.com Official Journal nwrs ___ E&P |