AZERBAIJAN PLANS TO INSURE ITS DIPLOMATS
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Law "About the Certain Private Insurance of the Diplomatic Foundations of Azerbaijan Abroad" touches 350 persons, the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed by the Chief of the Department of State Insurance Control of the Ministry of Finances of Azerbaijan Mr. Punhan Abdullayev has said.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The WB Mission will conduct the monitoring of the projects being realized within frameworks of the UEIP.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In result of the earthquake on the north-west of Azerbaijan in Sheki (the town at 300 km from Baku) the threat of the old buildings destruction has appeared.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In accordance with the statistical data, by 2050 the population number of Turkey will make 97.5 MM persons and it will become the 17th state in the world.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC the operator of the development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli") has started the drilling of the advanced wells in the eastern area of the fields "Azeri".
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In Azerbaijan 372.5 MM cubic meters of the natural gas were delivered to the state on January. The SOCAR delivered 285 MM of this volume, the joint companies delivered 7.2 MM cubic meters and the AIOC delivered 77,3 MM cubic meters.
BAKU.09.12.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Russian NC "LUKoil" has not debts on transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan in connection of selling of 10% sharing in the project of the development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli" (ACG), the officials of the Ministry of Finance of the country has told to the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan"
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: On February 10, at the summit meeting of the OPEC the members of the cartel decide, whether they reduce quotas of the crude production. The members of the organization are sure almost, that for the present officially accepted volumes of the production will remain as before.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In 2004 the company Barmek-Azerbaijan (the branch of the Turkish company Barmek) intends to invest $15 MM to the Baku and Sumgayit electric power networks.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The share of the private sector in the GDP structure made 73.3% by the results of 2003. By the information of the State Statistic Department, the GDP volume has made 35.1 trln. Manats (a growth made 11.2% in comparison with rates of 2002). The rates of the growth of the GDP were the highest in comparison with the previous years. So by the results of 2000 this rate made 11.1% in 2000, in 2001 - 9.9%, in 2002 - 10.6%.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS. The Caspian Shipping Company (CSC) plans to carry 13 MM tons of cargos this year, the Chief of the CSC Mr. Aidin Bashirov has said.
BAKU.09.02.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The WB may allocate $10 MM for the realization of the project of the pension and social protection of the population, the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed in the WB representation.
"At the present time the law project is under consideration of the President administration and for the present it is complicatedly to say a date of its consideration by the Parliament", - Mr. P. Abdullaev has said.
By the estimation of the Ministry of Finances, the budget expenditures for the certain insurance of the employees of the diplomatic foundations will not exceed 40 MM manats daily.
The official exchange rate of February, 9 makes 4936 manats/$1.
THE WB'S MISSION WILL CONDUCT THE MONITORING OF THE PROJECT WITHIN FRAMEWORKS OF URGENT ECOLOGICAL INVESTMENTS PROGRAM
As Media-Press has been informed in the Baku WB Office, the experts of the bank will conduct meetings with the authorized officials of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan as well as the groups realizing the projects.
It is conjectured to develop the strategy of the stable operation of the fishery plant in Nefchala and company on harmful wastes management (Sumgayit), the founder of which is the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. Moreover, the preliminary discussions of the project "Cleaning of the oil contaminated lands of the Absheron region" will pass in the Ministry of Ecology.
The UEIP includes four project by a cost of $24.5 MM. The WB credit makes $20 MM of them; the Government of Azerbaijan allocates $3.1 MM; the grant of the Japanese government makes $0.8 MM; the grant of the British Fund Know-How makes $0.6 MM. The program includes the projects of cleaning of the territory of the Sumgaiyit plant of the Surface Active Substances ($8 MM), improvement of the ecological management and dangerous wastes management ($1.4 MM). Within frameworks of the UIEI the fishery plant in Neftechala has been built ($9.1 MM). Besides, the pilot cleaning of oil-contaminated areas of the Absheron Peninsula is under schedule ($5.1 MM).
IN RESULT OF THE EARTHQUAKE IN SHEKI, THE TOWN IN THE NORTH-WEST OF AZERBAIJAN, THREAT OF THE OF OLD BUILDINGS DESTRUCTION HAS APPEARED
As it has been informed by the town council officials, about 40 dwellers of the eight flat house have left their flats and are dwelling now at their near relatives.
Many citizens have left their homes fearing of the earthquake replay. In result of the earthquake the water supply system has damaged, the interlocutor of the agency has said.
As it has been informed in the seismological service of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the earthquake with a power of 4 balls by Richter's scale has emerged at night of Monday, about 2.00 of the local time.
Since Sunday, in the region of Sheki, several earthquakes has been registered and their continuation is not excepted.
BY 2050 THE POPULATION NUMBER OF TURKEY WILL REACH 97.5 MM PERSONS, AND POPULATION NUMBER OF INDIA WILL EXCEED CHINA
At the present time Turkey is on the 16th place in the world by the population number. China stands on the first place on this rate, and India on the second. By 2050 India will be the first in this issue and China will be the second. The USA, as before, will keep the fourth place.
Egypt will become the most numerous Arabian country - 127 MM persons and it will occupy the 13th place in the world. Mexico will occupy the 11th place in the world and Russia - the 14th one.
The population number reduction in Germany will bring to that this country will occupy the 25th place in the world. Yemen. By this time Yemen will leave behind Germany; now its population number makes 20 MM. Columbia and Afghanistan will approach to the level of Germany by this time. The population number of Italy, Great Britain and France will sharply reduce.
Certainly, all these calculations do not take into account all complex of factors affecting on the dynamic of the population number changes. So nobody may say precisely the population number of the world countries.
The average life length in different countries is a factor of no small importance. By the information of the World Health Organization, today the average life length makes 48.5 years in the world.
The average life length of the Russian resident makes 67.5 years. By this rate Russia gives up to Belarus (68.5), however, exceeds Armenia (66.59), Ukraine (66.33), Moldova (64.62), Tajikistan (64.28), Uzbekistan (63.9), Kyrgyzstan (63.56), Kazakhstan (63.38), Azerbaijan (63.08), Turkmenistan (61.1).
In the countries of the former USSR the most life length is in the Baltic countries: the average statistical resident of Estonia lives 70.1 years, Lithuania resident - 69.2 years, Latvia resident - 69 years.
The USA is on the 47th place (77.4), giving up particularly to France (79.2), Israel (78.86), the Great Britain (77.79) and Germany.
In accordance with the WHO data, the average life length is the least in Botsvana (35.29 years) and Mozambik (35.56).
THE DRILLING OF THE ADVANCED WELLS HAS STARTED ON THE "EAST AZERI"
Totally six wells would be drilled supposedly in this area and five of them will be producing and one will be drilled for pumping of the drilling slum. All they will be drilled from the base plate fixed in this offshore area still on December.
As it is noted in the report of the AIOC, the project depth of the wells varies from 4 thou up to 5.3 thou meters. Totally, the program of the advanced drilling in the eastern part of "Azeri" would be completed supposedly during 11 months.
The advanced drilling program allows the starting of oil production here jus since the construction of offshore stationary platform construction not expecting for drilling from the platform. Earlier the AIOC successfully completed the program of advanced drilling in the central part of "Azeri". (We should noted that the analogous technology of the advanced drilling is applied and on the gas condensate offshore field of "Shakh-Deniz").
The works in the western and eastern parts of the field "Azeri" are carried out within frameworks of "Stage-1" of the full scaled development of the fields "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli". The oil production start on the "West Azeri" is planned for the second quarter of 2006 and for the first quarter of 2007 on the "East Azeri". By the project "Stage-2", the construction of two platforms is provided and 48 wells will be drilled from each of them. Totally above 20 MM tons annually (420 thou bbl daily) will be produced. Within frameworks of "Stage-2" 210 MM tons will be produced totally. The cost of "Stage-1" makes $5.2 bn.
The following companies are shareholders of the development of fields "Azeri", "Chiraq" and deepwater part of "Guneshli": BP (34,1367% - īperator), the American Unocal 10,2814%), ExxonMobil (8,0006%), Devon Energy (5,6262%) and Amerada Hess (1,0413%), the Azerbaijan SOCAR (10%), Japanese Inpex Corp.(10%) and ITOCHU Oil (3,9205%), Norwegian Statoil (8,5633%), Turkish TPAO (6,75%) č Saudi Delta Oil (1,68%).
IN AZERBAIJAN 372.5 MM CUBIC METERS OF GAS WERE DELIVERED TO THE STATE ON JANUARY
173.6 MM cubic meters of gas from the mentioned volume has been delivered to the system of the JC "Azerigas" and this is by 0.6% less than it had been planned.
For satisfying the demands of Azerbaijan up to 10 bn cubic meters of gas are required annually. In the past year Azerbaijan has purchased 4 bn cubic meters of "the blue fuel" from the international group of companies "Itera". The gas import of "Itera" would make the same total in this year too. Else one agreement with "Itera" has been signed; it provides delivery of 1.5 bn cubic meters of gas to the JC "Azerigaz". However, this contract for the present has not been for lack of necessary means of Azerbaijan.
The republic will receive the subsidiary volumes of gas also since within the frameworks of the project of extension of the Sangachal oil terminal the gas drying installation will be installed. Today all oil delivered to the terminal is separated from water and gas. Received gas is liquated. The construction of new installation would not allow liquating gas, but delivering it to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, which in its turn will deliver it to consumers. Gas will be burned in flames only in emergencies. For realization of this idea the SOCAR also plans to build special gas receiving installation and the pipeline up to the Sangachal gas distribution point.
LUKOIL HAS NOT DEBTS TO THE STATE BUDGET OF AZERBAIJAN
As it is known, on December 2002, "LUKoil" has announced about selling of its 10% sharing in the contract on the development of ACG to the Japanese company Inpex for $1.375 bn. After this the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan announced that the company should transfer taxes by a total above $200 MM to the state budget.
"In accordance with the agreement on the development of the field "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli" the selling of its share by a shareholder shall not be a taxation object. So the Russian oil company should not to pay out taxes by a total of above $200 MM to the state budget.
Not recently the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan Mr. Fazil Mamedov has declared that Azerbaijan has not received tax transfers to the state budget from the Oil Company "LUKoil" in connection with the sale of its share in ACG. On February 2 the President of the Russian company Mr. Vagit Alekperov said to the journalists that the company had paid out all debts to the state budget of Azerbaijan. "We have not debts to the State Tax Service of Azerbaijan and as well as on the project "Azeri - Chiraq - Guneshli".
The contract on the development of the fields "Azeri", "Chiraq" and deepwater part of "Guneshli" was signed on September 20, 1994 and entered into force on December 12 of the same year.
The following companies are shareholders of the development of fields "Azeri", "Chiraq" and deepwater part of "Guneshli": BP (34,1367% - īperator), the American Unocal 10,2814%), ExxonMobil (8,0006%), Devon Energy (5,6262%) and Amerada Hess (1,0413%), the Azerbaijan SOCAR (10%), Japanese Inpex Corp.(10%) and ITOCHU Oil (3,9205%), Norwegian Statoil (8,5633%), Turkish TPAO (6,75%) č Saudi Delta Oil (1,68%).
THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE MARKET DO NOT KNOW, WHICH SOLUTION WILL BE MADE AT THE SAMMIT MEETINGS OF THE OPEC
Moreover, the experts yet have not forgot as at their summit meeting on November of the past year the oil ministers certainly unexpectedly for them decided to change quotas at the last time.
As the Minister of Energy of Algeria Mr. Shakib Khelil has declared on Friday, the situation on the oil market allows keeping the present quotas for the oil production. By the opinion of the Algerian official, the rest members of cartel agree with the necessity of remaining the production rates as before. Moreover, during the last days, the oil price has reduced slightly and on Friday on the market in London quotations of the crude of the Brent mark on the future contract for March reduced from $29.11 up to $28.88 for barrel.
Formally now the countries of the OPEC should produce 24.5 MM bbls of oil per a day. In fact, on December as on January the members of the cartel delivered jointly by 1.5 MM tons of oil more every day. At the same time there were not crude excess in the USA and China on the background of the production growth. However, in the end of the last year the oil ministers feared that in the second quarter the traditional seasonal reduction of oil demands occur by approximately 2 MM bbl so it would be necessary to reduce the production on February. However, the position of the OPEC members changed in the end of January and several authorized cartel members declared that even taking into account the oil demand reduction, quotation changes would not be required.
BARMEK-AZERBAIJAN WILL INVEST $15 MM TO THE BAKU AND SUMGAYIT ELECTRIC POWER NETEWORKS
As "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed by the President of the Company Mr. Guseyn Arabul, $10 MM will be allocated to the modernization of the equipment of the Baku electric network and $5 MM - to the Sumgayit one.
In 2003 Barmek-Azerbaijan invested 55 bn manats to the Baku electric network and 15 bn manats to the Sumhayit one.
Barmek started managing of the Baku network for 25 years in 2002. Since October of 2002 this Company started the managing of the Sumgayit electric network uniting the networks of Sumgayit and a number of northern regions of Azerbaijan. Barmek has taken the reliability of investing above $200 MM for 25 years.
For 2003 Barmek-Azerbaijan has provided above 8.280 bn kVt hours for 2003 by a total of 1trln manats. At the same time in the natural expression the electric power deliveries the consumers have grown by 55% in comparison with 2002 and by 53.3 in the cost expression.
The official rate of exchange on February 9 makes 4936 manats/$1.
IN AZERBAIJAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR SHARE IN GDP MADE 73.3% BY THE RESULTS OF 2003
The GDP per capita made 4.3 MM manats or $879.7. The industry share in the GDP made 37.8%, agriculture - 13.1%, the construction field - 12.1%, trade and services - 7.9%, transport - 7.3%, communications - 2.2%. In 2004, as it is expected, the volume of the GDP makes 37.3 trln manats.
The production of the industry production increased by 6.1% for a year and made 23.7 trln manats. A share of the extracting industry made 48.6%, processing one's share made 42.27%. The production in the private sector increased by 7.6% and made 53.4% totally.
THIS YEAR THE CPS PLANS TO TRANSPORT 13 MM TONS OF CARGOS
The oil and oil products will make 9 MM tons from this volume. We shall note that by today the Azerbaijan ships carry out all oil transportation in the Caspian basin.
By results of 2003 the CSC transported 13.268 MM tons of cargos and oil and its products made 8.875 MM tons. The prediction for 2003 was executed by 117.5%.
The tanker fleet of the Company is capable to transport up to 15 MM tons of oil and oil products annually. Since getting of two new tankers with deadweight of 12 thou tons of each one in 2004 the volume of such cargo transportation may be increased up to 18 MM tons daily.
The ships of the CSC float in the other seas also and enter ports of 39 countries. The cargos delivered to the Caspian Sea from the ports of the Baltic and Black Sea - Mediterranean basins through the Volgo - Baltic and Volga - Don navigation systems, are delivered to the Iranian ports with out transshipment. The ships of the CSC operating in the Black Sea - Azov basin, delivers cargos of the foreign freighters to the ports of Europe, Middle East and North Africa. In 2003 the dry cargo carriers of the Shipping Company transported above 900 thou tons of cargos.
THE WB MAY ALLOCATE $10 MM TO AZERBAIJAN FOR THE PROJECT OF THE PENSION AND SOCIAL PROTECTION OF THE POPULATION
"Within frameworks of this project the introducing the system of the individual account of the social insurance, improvement of the social payments addressness is provided", - the official of the WB has said.
We should remind that during the recent visit to the country of the WB experts of this project conducted negotiations on issues of introduction of personal social insurance accounts in the State Social Protection Fund (SCPF). After the completion of the visit the decision on continuation of consultations was taken.
The WB expects for that the negotiations on credit allocation for the realization of the project complete in the first quarter of 2004 and the official application for the credit reception will be made. The bank is ready to pay out a part of means and the SSPF and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population will receive it.
At the present time the WB considers expenses for the foundation of this system and a credit, which would be allocated probably for this project. Approximately the credit by $3.5 MM would be required for introduction of the individual accounts of the social insurance. However, it is not excepted that this total would be increased, the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has received this information fom the SSPF.
