FOR EIGHT MONTHS INVESTMENTS TO THE ECONOMY OF AZERBAIJAN GREW BY 75%.
By the information of the Statistic Department of the Azerbaijan Republic, the foreign investments made 82.8% or 8 trln. 678.8 bn manats, the domestic investments made 17.2% or 1trln 798.1bn manats.
In comparison with the analogous period of the past year the volume of the foreign investments has grown by 83.6%, domestic ones - by 42.6%.
Proper funds of enterprises - 8 trln.821.2 bn manats (a growth is by 81.7%), bank credits - 250 bn manats (a growth is by 34.9%), budget funds - 252.3 bn manats (a growth is in 3.1 times), out of budget funds - 94.3 bn manats (a growth by 94.4), proper public funds - 264.7 bn manats (a growth by 5%).
It is expected that in the current year 13.2 trln manats will be invested to the economy of the country. The total volume of investments to the economy of Azerbaijan in 2002 made 10 trln. 292.8 bn manats, what by 82.2% exceeds rates of 2002.
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 8.5 BN MANATS ($1.727 MM) WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE BUDGET OF AZERBAIJAN IN ACCOUNT OF THE STATE PROPERTY RENT
For this period 556 new agreements on rent were signed and validity periods of 346 ones were prolonged. As Media-Press has been informed in the Ministry of the Economic Development of Azerbaijan, in total for ten years 24 thou of such agreements were signed; in acount of them earnings of the budget made 85.1 bn ($17.29 MM).
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FISH FARM HAS COMPLETED IN AZERBAIJAN
As the Director of the Group on Realization of the Project Mr. Ruslan Ajalov has informed the Agency "Interfax - Azerbaijan" the Alliance including the JC "Azerenergostroymontaz" and German Ferrostaal. "At the present time the plant systems are tested and the employees are trained by the specialists of Ferrostall", - Mr. R. Ajalov has said.
Already in the current year the plant will be able to grow and let out to the sea up to 3 MM sturgeon young fishes. "We intend to get the project capacity of 15 MM young fishes per a year already in the next year, though initially it was supposed to do it during several years", - he has amplified.
After putting the plant into operation the Public Sturgeon Fund will be engaged in its managing; the Fund includes the officials from the Ministries of the Economic Development, Finance and Ecology.
THE INVESTMENT COMPETITION FOF SALE OF THE JC "AZELECTROTERM
For participation in the tender pretenders should suggest their investment programs including offers on new technologies introduction, issue of hig-quality production with the aim of its next export, restoration of the job vacancies and social securing of the JC employees.
"Azeelectroterm" has promissory notes in a total of 10.541 bn manats including salary debts - 477.801 MM manats. The volume of the debtor arrears makes 1.611bn manats. The enterprise was founded in 1969.
THE POPULATION OF AZERBAIJAN EXCEEDS 8 MM PERSONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATISTIC DATA
The citizens make 51% and the country population - 49%. For the mentioned period 74.1 thou persons were born and 33 thou died. The natural growth made 7.6 persons per 1000 citizens, birth-rate - 13.7 persons, death-rate - 6.1 persons.
For this period 28.6 thou marriages were concluded an 4 thou divorcements took place. In comparison with the analogous period of the past year a number of registered marriages per each 1000 persons has increased from 4.4 up to 5.5 and a number of divorced remained as before.
IS IT THE SHORTENED SUMMIT MEETING OF THE CIS OR WHY TURKMENBASHY REFUSED OF THE MEETING WITH PUTIN
Only foundation of the free trade zone will be managed in this "space". Only one participant of this quartet Kiev is not ready for this. Ukraine does not intend to yield a part of its sovereignty - but the foundation of common organs in the CES supposes just this and this is provided by the concept of its foundation in the second stage. On the eve of the day before the Supreme Rada of Ukraine refused to take a decision on joining of the country in the CES. The Deputies will be "determined" on this question only tomorrow, when the presidents will gather already in Yalta. And the summit owner, the President of Ukraine Mr. Leonid Kuchma would be informed about the Parliament resolution in the last moment. Evidently, by phone.
The other significant events, which would be able to take place in Yalta, however will not occur precisely already are follows. The summit meeting of GUUAM, even nonformal will not be held, though this was excluded in capitals of Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova long before the meeting in Krim. The point is that only four leaders of this nonformal union will arrive in Yalta. The fifth, the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Geydar Aliyev, as it is known, continues the treatment course in the American Cleveland. Just in connection with this the meeting in Krim gives a base for expectations to be very interesting as it will become the premiere of the Prime-Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev.
And at last else one significant discussion for the countries of the CIS - about gas consortium foundation including Russia, Turkmenistan and Russia will not take place in Yalta. This idea belongs to the President of Turkmenistan Mr. Saparmurat Niyazov. Recently he reminded about it again, when he had promised to arrive in Yalta for repeated discussion on it with Mr. Leonid Kucma and Vladimir Putin. Turkmenbashi hoped to discuss large scale perspective of gas cooperation with the main purchasers of their petroleum on May in S.- Petersburg during celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the city. However, this was not got in the banks of Neva by some reasons. The President of Russia was forced to limit even so the shortest meeting with the Head of Turkmenistan only by the matter of the scandal, which emerged then already and associated with unilateral leaving the agreement on double Russian-Turkmen citizenship by Ashgabad.
Now and similar meeting is not expected: Turkmenbashi refused to arrive in summit meeting. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mr. Alexander Motsik has informed about this. In connection with this the signing of the Ukrainian-Turkmen Agreement on the Strategical Gas Cooperation announced by Ashgabad will not take place too. Ashgabad does not informs about the reason of the refusal of Niyazov to arrive in Yalta. In distinction of Mr. Geydar Aliyev, Turkmenbashy is not considered ill officially; vice versa, the German doctors determined his "excellent" health in the past month. And the "full working schedule" does not prevent to the Turkmen Chief, though in the past cases of absence at the summits of the CIS the official Ashgabad made constantly a reference to this reason.
There is only a single supposition: Turkmenbashi does not meet with Mr. V. Putin, but then he will be forced to answer again to difficult questions, connected with breaking of rights of the Russian language citizens in Turkmenistan. This version looks true though because recently in accordance of information got by the newspaper "Vremya novostey" from the diplomatic sources in Moscow, Ashgabad requested to postpone the second meeting of the Russian-Turkmen Commission on the double citizenship issues for uncertain period.
Though it the other energetic version is not excepted as conflicts on gas would be able to emerge in Yalta. As it is known, the intension of Ashgabad to cooperate with Kiev in its gas export to Europe (though not based on real potential) disagree with the energetic intentions of Moscow and so unpleasant conversation of Mr. S. Niazov and Mr. V. Putin would be rather take place in Krim. And evidently the President of Turkmenistan decided to avoid it.
As it is known, the Director of the JC "Naftogaz Ukraini" Mr. Yuri Boyko has the meeting with the President S. Niyazov two days ago, and the matter of 25 year contract on the Turkmen gas deliveries to Ukraine was discussed at it. Ukraine intended to sign the document on Friday at the summit in Yalta. However the talks appeared unsuccessful: the contract which would break the strategy of "Gazprom" in relation to the Central Asian gas may be signed not earlier than on October.
"Naftogaz Ukraini" suggested to "Turkmenneftegaz" the long-term contract on purchasing the natural gas immediately since on April the long-term agreement between "Turkmenneftegaz" and the Russian "Gazprom" and the intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Tukmenistan on cooperation in the gas field were signed. For the present the five-year contract on deliveries of 36 bn cubic meters of the natural gas between "Naftogaz Ukraini" and "Turkmentneftegazf" is into force (by price in $44 per thousand cubic meters) and its term expire in 2005. However only today the Chief of "Naftogaz Ukraini" has opened his suggestions to Turkmenistan: the new contract should operate during 25 years as one with "Gazprom".
As the newspaper "Kommersant" writes, if "Naftogaz Ukraini" managed to execute this idea, the situation around the Turkmen gas would be formed ambiguous. The framework agreement between "Turkmenneftegaz" and "Gazprom" suppose that since 2006 the Russian company will have real exclusive right on purchasing total Turkmen gas for the next 20 years: "Gazprom" has a right to buy 60 - 70 bn cubic meters in 2007, 63 - 73 bn - in 2008, 70 - 80 bn in 2009 - 2029. The Ukrainian project suppose that since 2006 Kiev will have an opportunity of purchasing as minimum 35 - 40 bn cubic meters of the Turkmen per a year. In a case if "Gazprom" keeps its exclusive rights for Ashgabad gas, "Naftogaz Ukraini" will be forced purchase gas from only "Gazprom" since 2006. The simultaneous realization of both the contracts is impossible: it supposes that by 2007 "Turkmenneftegaz" should produce about 100 bn cubic meters of gas per a year and by 2009 - 125 - 140 bn, however this is not real.
This is the tactic defeat of "Naftogaz Ukraini". Probably, by October already new decisions on the CIS gas market structure will be accepted. By the same time "Gazprom" and Turkmenistan would determine a scheme of transferring investments by "Gazprom" to transportation of the Turkmen gas. Moreover, undoubtedly the President of Turkmenistan will try to postpone final agreements with "Gazprom" as well with "Naftogaz Ukraini" for the maximum terms: the time serves to him, the "Kommersant" resumes. And so we may add from ourselves: there is not necessity of hurrying to Yalta for him.
DRILLING MODULE FOR OIL PLATFORM ON THE FIELD "CENTRAL AZERI" HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJAN
The drilling module includes three main components: the subsidiary drilling module, the complect of the drilling equipment and oil derrick. They have been designed for drilling 48 wells and use during total operation period of the platform. The total weight of the equipment including as well the derrick makes about 3.5 thou tons.
Their integrating to upper constructions of the platform of the field "Central Azeri" as well as starting tests will be carried out at the enterprise "Shelproektstroy". It is expected that on October the module will be installed on the platform.
Within the project "Central Azeri" (Phase-1 of the full-scale development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli") the platform for drilling of 48 wells will be installed, 30 inch oil pipeline and 28 inch gas pipeline from the platform up to the Sangachal oil terminal, the platform for gas pressing and water pumping.
DURING THE BAKU CONFERENCE OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION THERE WOULD BE A PROBABILITY OF THE RENEWAL OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE SOCAR AND THE GREEK DEPA ON THE AZERBAIJAN GAS DELIVERIES TO EUROPE DURING
As Media-Press has been informed in the Embassy of Greece, the General Director on the strategic planning of the Greek Gas Company DEPA Mr. Vassilios Tsombanopulos should be member of the delegation. It is expected that during their visit the officials of DEPA will conduct negotiations with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan on deliveries of the Azerbaijan gas from the field "Shakh-Deniz" through Turkey and Greece and other European countries.
We shall remind that on April of this year Mr. V. Tsombanopulos has declared during his visit to Baku that Greece will start the Azerbaijan gas import from "Shakh-Deniz" in 2006. By his words, Greece is ready to receive from 2 up to 3bn cubic meters per a year, however it is not excepted that in future the import volumes will possibly increased.
Just then during the negotiations with the administration of the SOCAR the project of the long-term agreement on the Azerbaijan gas transportation to Greece through the territory of Turkey. The Chief of DEPA has emphasized that the Azerbaijan gas will be exported to the European countries by transit.
In particular, Mr. V. Tsombanopulos has informed that Italy is ready to buy the natural gas, which will be delivered through the pipeline systems of Turkey and Greece. By his words, the relevant agreement has been concluded already with the Italian company "Edison". In the first stage gas deliveries will be carried out in a volume of 2 bn cubic meters per a year with the further increasing the deliveries from 4 up to 8 bn cubic meters. If all goes in accordance with the selected plan, the project will be realized in 2007, the official of DEPA has said.
An opportunity of its gas exportation to Europe is very important for Azerbaijan. The point is that Turkey is ready purchase totally 2,5 bn cubic meters of the Azerbaijan gas, though the reserves of "Shakh-Deniz" are rather more. So it is necessary to develop deliveries of the Azerbaijan "blue fuel" further to Europe. Furthermore, by the words of the Ambassador of Greece in Baku Mr. Merkurious Karafhotias, it would be possible to export up to 30 bn cubic meters of gas annually by the pipeline, which will connect the gas systems of Turkey and Greece and be laid further to Europe. Before than to appeal to Turkey and Azerbaijan with this project, the Greek experts studied requirements of the European market and determined countries, which would be ready to purchase and consume such volumes of the natural gas. By affirmation of Mr. Karaphotias, the pipeline will be laid in two directions: the first - France and Italy, the second - Slovenia, Bosnia and Gertsegovina and Croatia. By the opinion of the Ambassador there will not large problems with the realization of the project "Shakh-Deniz" and the Azerbaijan gas export to Europe.
The realization of this plan will be possible owing to the construction of the pipeline, which will connect gas networks of Turkey and Greece. A length of this branch will make 285 km and 85 of them be laid by the territory of Greece. The FR of the project is ready and practical works have been started already. The expenses for construction of the Greek piece make 180 MM Euro. 25% of this sum the European Union allocated 25% of this total as the EU is interested in the realization of this project.
THE CEREMONIAL DEVOTED TO THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PIPELINE BTC WILL BE HELD IN THE SANGACHAL TERMINAL
We shall remind that on September 18, 2002 the stone-laying ceremony of the construction of the oil pipeline BTC was held in the Sangachal terminal. Then the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Geydar Aliyev, the President of Georgia Mr. Eduard Shevarnadze, the President of Turkey Mr. Akhmed Cezer, the Ministry of Energy of the USA Mr. Spenser Abraham and other officials took part in the ceremonial. The Presidents of the USA and France, the Prime-Ministers of the Great Britain and Norway as well as the other countries sharing in the pipeline laying sent telegrams on this matter. Just then the Heads of three states opened the memorial plate in honour of this event and laid a steel capsul into the base of the pipeline with the letter to the next genterations. As well laying of the symbolic first piece of the pipeline was held then.
A length of the pipeline BTC makes 1767 km, 443 of them pass in Azerbaijan, 248 km pass through Georgia and 1076 km - in Turkey. The capacity of the pipeline is 50 MM tons of oil daily. The direct construction works started on April 2003 and will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2004. The Azerbaijan petroleum exportation from the port Ceyhan is planned by the second quarter of 2005.
Hereto shareholders of the Project BTC: Bp - 30.1%, the SOCAR - 25%, Unocal - 8.90%, Statoil - 8.71%, TPAO - 6.53%, ENI - 5%, Itochu - 3.40%, ConocoPhillips - 2.50%, INPEX - 2.5%, TotalFinalElf - 5% and Amerada Hess - 2.36%.
"LUKOIL" BECAME A PURCHASER OF THE OCTOBER PETROLEUM PORTION OF THE SOCAR, EXPORTED BY THE PIPELINE BAKU - NOVOROSSIYSK
As Media-Press has been informed in the Management of Marketing and Economic Operations of the SOCAR, "LUKoil" has become a winner of the tender on purchase of the October portion of the Azerbaijan petroleum in a volume of 80 thou tons. Its shipment from the port Novorossiysk is planned by mid of October. A winner of the tender on the rest 140 thou tons will be defined in the next days.
We shall remind that two American companies Sempra and Chevron Texaco became winners of the previous September portion of the SOCAR exported by the route Baku - Novorossiysk.
On October the SOCAR plans to pump 220 thou tons of oil by the northern route. In the next months up to December monthly oil pumping by the "northern route" will make 220 thou tons of oil and 140 tons on December. This is connected with probable problems, which would emerge in the Novorossiysk port for bad weather conditions. Moreover in winter it would be necessary to deliver more petroleum to the Azerbaijan OPP for mazut production.
Totally for 2003 the SOCAR should deliver 2.5 tons of petroleum by the route Baku - Novorossiysk. Since the beginning of the year 1.605 MM tons of oil were pumped by the "northern" route.
FOR EIGHT MONTHS THE BAKU SEA PORT INCREASED OIL TRANSSHIPMENT BY 74%
Furthermore the volume of the Kazakhstan volume transportation has grown by 11% and made 595 thou tons, the Turkmen oil - in 1.5 times up to 1.269 MM ton, the Azerbaijan oil - reduced by 14% up to 34 thou tons. The part of the Russian oil, which has been delivered in the first time made 13 thou tons.
On January - August the total cargo turn-over made 4.107 MM tons, what is by 39% more than the analogous rate of 2002.
"LUKOIL" INTENDS TO BECOME THE SECOND GAS PRODUCER AFTER "GAZPROM" IN RUSSIA
In 2005 "Lukoil" will start the first gas deliveries from the Nakhodka field, which was included in one of four license areas of the Bolshekhed Hollow. "Gazprom" will buy this gas by a total of $22.5 for 1thou cubic meter, the income of "LUKoil" will make more 15%. The agreement is related to only the Nakhodka field, however "LUKoil" plans to sign similar agreements on the rest license areas of the Bolshekhed Hollow.
"GAZPROM" INTENDS TO COMPLETE NEGOTIATIONS WITH "BOTAS" ON PRICES FOR GAS UP TO THE END OF THE YEAR
By his words, after renewal of the Russian gas deliveries to Turkey by the bottom of the Black Sea the sides conducted a number of technical meetings on a level of the expert groups, the last of them was held on past Friday in Moscow. "The chief matter of the negotiations is a price for gas for the Turkish consumers and up to the end of the months agreements will be achieved", - the source has noted.
At the present time Turkey takes about 5 MM cubic meters of gas per a day, however negotiations on conditions of deliveries continue, the interlocutor of the AGI has noted.
As it has been informed, on August 1Turkey renewed the gas bleed-off within frameworks of the "Blue Stream" after its stopping on March 2003 on the pretext of a necessity of revising the volumes of deliveries and their cost.
In accordance with agreements, "Gazprom" should deliver 2 bn cubic meters of gas by the "Blue Stream", however it managed to export only 200 MM tons before August 1. It has been planned that in the second half of 2003 the minimum volume of gas bleed-off by the company "BOTAS" will make 800 MM cubic meters.
"The Blue Stream" is the main gas pipeline for direct deliveries of the Russian to Turkey by the bottom of the Black Sea. At the first time in the world practice the gas pipeline was laid at depths up to 2150 meters in conditions of aggressive hydrogen sulfide medium. A total length of the dry and sea areas of the gas pipeline makes 1213 km.
On December 1997 the intergovernmental agreement has been signed between Russia and Turkey. Within this agreement "Gazprom" concluded the commercial contract with the Turkish company "BOTAS" on deliveries of 365 bn cubic meters of gas to Turkey by the gas pipeline "Blue Stream" during 25 years.
The schedule of natural gas deliveries by the pipeline the "Blue Stream" for 2004 - 2010 provided by the contract was made up in the next way: 2004 - 4bn cub.m, 2005 - 6bn cubic.m., 2006 - 7bn.m., 2007 - 10 bn.cub.m., 2008 - 12 bn cubic m, 2009 - 14 bn cubic m and 2010 - 16bn cub.m.
THE BAKU CITIZENS RUN INTO DEBT OF 120 BN MANATS FOR USED GAS
"Gatherings of the payments for gas consumption goes slowly. The management does not want to apply the legal sanctions and there is a single method of struggle against nonpayment - gas switch-off in the flats of debtors", - it has been noted in the Management.
The outstandings of the gas consumers, including the state institutions and budget organizations makes by data for September 15, 370 bn manats.
"The private companies have not problems on payments for gas, excepting owners of greenhouses, which switch on gas illegally for vegetables growing; moreover, annually the employees of "Bakgaz" determine 70 - 80 thou illegal connections to the gas network. In the present time the action against 48 illegal consumers was brought, - the source has noted.
In accordance with the data of the State Statistics Department of the Azerbaijan Republic, annual gas consumption in Baku by Baku users makes 2.6 MM cubic meters in winter and 5 MM cubic meters in winter.
"BAKGAZ" IS NOT SATISFIED BY SLOW RATES OF GAS COUNTERS INSTALLING
As "Interfax-Azerbaijan" Agency has informed "Bakgaz", since July 2003 up to date only 2 thou gas counters from 43 thou counters provided by plan were installed.
The installing of these devices is carried out within frameworks of the project of the World Bank "Rehabilitation of the gas system of Azerbaijan".
"The installing is going slowly in connection with this that the citizens do not understand a necessity of this procedure and not always allow employees of the management to houses, so it is difficult to determine terms when this process will be completed", - they noted in the management.
At the present time 42 thou consumers from 471 thou users have been provided by individual gas counters.
Thus, with accounting 43 thou counters, which are installed by the WB project this does not cover all demands of the city, the source has resumed.
From 108 bn up to 175 bn manats would be required for installing the rest 386 gas counters depending of a model. With this, the counters are necessary as they will promote to the normal functioning of the gas system of the country, "especially it is important in winter, when excessive gas using up takes place for increased consuming.
Totally the JC "Azerigas" has purchased 55 thou domestic gas counters (12 thou devices are provided for other regions of the country) from the company Elster (Germany) within the WB frameworks; all devices are installed free of charge. The counters were purchased in account of funds, which were economized by the copany within the WB grant, allocated for realization of the project "Rehabilitation of the gas system of Azerbaijan" in a total of $20.2 MM.
The project of rehabilitation of the gas system in Azerbaijan began in 1996 and finished on June 2003. It has following objects: increasing the gas consuming efficiency, reduction of its technical losses, improvement of the measuring equipment and counting system of gas consumption counting system.
