THE CHINESE ENERGY EXPERTS ADJUST THE COOPERATION WITH THE AZERBAIJAN COLLEAGUES
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The delegation of the Chinese National Corporation on the Electric Equipment (CNEEC) conducts negotiations on adjusting the cooperation with the Azerbaijan colleagues in Baku.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Interference of functionaries into activities of businessmen would be ended. The President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev has declared this in the conversation with the officials of the mass media. By his words, for the further economic growth in Azerbaijan "favorable conditions for the inner investors would be required".
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: A number of juridical persons registered in Azerbaijan makes 61 136 and this exceeds rates of the beginning of 2003 by 3.4%, the Deputy Director of the Department of the Business Development Department of the Ministry of the Economic Development Mr. Aliguseyn Shaliev has said.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The second round of the negotiations between the government of Azerbaijan and the WTO about joining of the country to the WTO would be held on March - April, 2004, the officials of the State Ministry of the Economic Development have informed the Agency "Interfax - Azerbaijan" about this.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The analysis of the course of the realization of the project of the technical assistance rendering to the financial sector of Azerbaijan and the further trends of the development of this sphere - here is the main goal of the visit of the WB mission to Baku. As Media-Press has been informed in the Baku , the experts of the bank would conduct the discussions with the managers of the National Bank of Azerbaijan on the reforming the bank sector, particularly the improvement of its structure, uniting of small banks.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group of the OSCE on the Nagorny Karabakh should prepare the new suggestions on adjusting the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict. The President of Azerbaijan has expressed such opinion in his talk with the officials of mass media.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev intends to discuss issues of struggle against the international terrorism, the Caspian status determination and as welll the bilateral relations during his official visit to Moscow in the beginning of February.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The President of Azerbaijan would not take part in the inauguration of the new elected President of Georgia Mr. Michael Saakashvili.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The course of the construction of the Main Exporting Pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan (MEP BTC) would be discussed in the end of January at the sitting of the Azerbaijan-Turkish intergovernmental commission.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The company ExxonMobil has started the drilling of the new well on the structure "Zafar", the Vice-President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (the SOCAR) Mr. Khoshbakht Yusifzade has informed the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" about this.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The fourth operating well has been drilled from the offshore stationary platform in the shallow water area of the field "Guneshli" being developed by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan. Its depth makes 2930 meters, its daily production makes 194 tons of oil and 50 thou cubic meters of gas, Media-Press has been informed in the SOCAR.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The disagreements between the Russian "Gazprom" and "Itera", in result of which Azerbaijan and altogether the South Caucasus may be disproved of the gas supplies, has not been still adjusted , but new disaster has emerged. The sadly famous for the pas year scandal the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Chechengazprom" has announced about a possible stop of gas pumping to Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
BAKU.21.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: A capacity of the oil production in the OPEC has reached a maximum. The President of the OPEC Mr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro executing the duties of the General Secretarty of this organization has said in the interview to the British newspaper "The Financial Times". He has recognized that the cartel exceeds the established quotas and agreed with that the level of prices for oil are too high at the present time.
As Media-Press has been informed in press service of the JC "Azerenerjji", during the held negotiations the perspective trends of the cooperation including projects of the construction of the substation in Sheki, reconstruction of one of the hydro-agregates of the Mingechavir HEPS and modernization of the relevant infrastructure had been considered. The Chinese experts visited the HEPS and determined the previous volume of the required works.
By the words of the Chief Engineer of the JC "Azerenerjji" Mr. Marlen Askerov, the project of the construction of the substation in Sheki is one of the priority one as the main industrial energy consumers of the north-west of the country and above a million of people were gathered here. The construction of the modern substation would allow supply them qualitatively and reliably by the electric energy.
In accordance with the results of the monitoring of the energy objects by the experts of the CNEEC the package of offers would be prepared and they would a theme of the further negotiations.
As the Azerbaijan specialists consider, the Chinese energy experts have a great experience in the field of the construction of the hydro-technical constructions. The great project "Three canyons" on the largest hydroelectric power station in the world with a capacity of 18 200 MWt realized on the river Yantszi serves as a visual example of this.
THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN: INTERFERENCE OF FUCTIONARIES INTO ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESSMEN WOULD BE ENDED
"If we had created the fine conditions for the foreign businessmen and are reaping already the results of this, and now we should take care of our native investors", - the President has emphasized. He thinks that the atmosphere of the maximum independence and liberalism in this field would allow getting good results. "The investor should be sure that his investments would not be lost and their future would not depend of caprices of functionaries. We should protect the investors. There is no secret for anybody that we meet with negative facts in some fields. For example, businessmen intend to be engaged in something, however functionaries engaged in this issue think about their own interests. A stop to this would be put ", - Mr. I. Aliyev has said.
As well the President has said that would try to get a balance in development of the capital and regions. "Azerbaijan consist of not only Baku, its strength and future are depends on the regions in many cases", - the President of Azerbaijan has said.
FOR A YEAR A NUMBER OF THE JURIDICAL PERSONS HAS GROWN BY 3.4% IN AZERBAIJAN
At the same time for the past year 3 936 new companies have been created in Azerbaijan, however 1 378 companies have stopped their operations, the State Statistic Department of Azerbaijan informs.
"The most number of juridical persons carry out the activities in the field of the wholesale and retail trade and services.
In 2003 a growth in a number of juridical persons was observed in the manufacturing industry ( a growth makes 13.3%), in processing - (6.5%), the construction - (6.9%), transport (7.2%), field of real estate renting (3.6%).
"The reduction of a number of operating enterprises were observed in the Agricultural Industrial Complex, field of the financing activities, education.
The state companies make 19.9% of the total number of the operating juridical ones. The private juridical persons make 70.4%, municipal ones make 4.4% and foreign and joint companies make 5.3% from the total number of the companies operating in Azerbaijan.
By the words of Mr. A. Shaliyev, at the present time 157 986 physical persons are engaged in business without foundation of juridical one. For 2003 their number has increased by 23.3%l. The most number of the physical persons as well operate in the field of the wholesale and retail trade, agriculture, hotel and restaurant services, transport and communications.
THE SECOND ROUND OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT JOINING OF AZERBAIJAN TO THE WTO IS PLANNED FOR MARCH - APRIL
The government of Azerbaijan has prepared certain offers, which would be discussed during the negotiations, the source in the Ministry of the Economic Development has said, and not determined main point of these offers.
For joining to the organization the WTO demands from Azerbaijan a refusal of subsidies allocation to the agricultural sector from the state budget, introduction of changes into the custom policy, unification of laws in accordance with conditions of the WTO, improvement of tariffs in the services field
The first round of the negotiations was held on July 2002.
THE EXPERTS OF THE WORLD BANK FAMILIARIZE WITH THE COURSE OF THE REALIZATION OF THE PROJECT "RENDERING THE TECHNICAL AID TO THE FINANCING SECTOR OF AZERBAIJAN"
The agreement of rendering the technical assistance to the financing sector of Azerbaijan was concluded on November 2001. It would operate up to February 2006, the cost makes $6.27 MM, and $5.4 MM makes the favorable credit of the International Development Association. The government of Azerbaijan has allocated the rest part.
The same mission would consider as well the other project jointly with the Ministry of the Economic Development at the supporting of the private sector in the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan. By the preliminary accounts, the realization of the given project would cost $15 MM.
THE OFFICIAL BAKU EXPECTS NEW SUGGESTIONS ON ADJUSTMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT FROM THE MINSK GROUP OF THE OSCE
The President of Azerbaijan has estimated the activity of the Minsk group for the last years as "unsuccessful" and emphasized that the Azerbaijan society expects many from the intermediaries.
The President of Azerbaijan has supported again the peaceful adjustment of the conflict. "We does not want war, death of people, new victims", - Mr. Ilham Aliyev has said. He thinks that the continuation of peaceful negotiations, including direct dialogue of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia is required on this stage in conditions that the Minsk Group would not be foreign observer. The Azerbaijan leader has reminded that he had already met with the President of Armenia. "If it is required, the meetings will be continued".
The President Aliyev believes that Azerbaijan will get the political adjustment of the problem strengthening its economical and military potential. "However if this does not occur, we would not intend to agree with the available situation", - he has said. By the words of the Chief of the state, the patience of the people is exhausting. "Azerbaijan has a full right to liberate its territories in any time and by all available means", - he has emphasized. However, it would be possible to think about another versions of the conflict only since , when "full sureness in that the peaceful potential of the adjustment process has exhausted appears", - the President has said, and emphasized that Azerbaijan certainly would liberate the occupied territories.
The problem of the Karabakh adjustment would become one of the central ones in the course of the official visit of Mr. Ilham Aliyev to France on January 22. As it is known, France is one of the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group of the OSCE. By the words of Mr. I.Aliyev, "France should play more active role in this trend as the co-chairman of the Minsk Group of the OSCE. So I think that this issue would be mainly negotiated", - the President has added.
THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN WILL DISCUSS ISSUES OF THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND THE CASPIAN STATUS IN MOSCOW
By his words, during visit six bilateral documents should be signed by schedule, including the Moscow Declaration of two Presidents, which would display changes occurred in the political life of both the counties and global scale.
THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN WOULD NOT TAKE PART IN INAUGURATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA MR MICHAEL SAAKASHVILI
As Mr. Ilham Aliyev has noted, he has not planned a visit to Georgia, as he would be in France with the official visit at this time. Moreover, as he has noted, there have not been a similar practice before.
Having told about the bilateral relations with Georgia, Mr. Ilham Aliyev has supported their development. He has noted that the last time he has had contacts with practically all leaders of the neighbor country including Mr. M. Saakashvili. "We believe that cooperation of our countries would develop and strengthen", - the President of Azerbaijan has said. He has emphasized also that Azerbaijan and Georgia would be able to get a success only if they operate together." By the opinion of the President of Azerbaijan, the realization of the projects of the construction of the oil pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan and gas pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Erzurum would approach two countries once more.
THE AZERBAIJAN-TURKISH INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION WOULD CONSIDER THE COURSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEP BAKU - TBILISI - CEYHAN
As the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev has informed the journalists, during the recent visit of the Foreign Minister of Turkey Mr. Abdulla Gul it had been offered to conduct the discussion of this issue in the end of the month. In this purpose the co-chairman of the commission Vice-Premier Mr. Abid Sharifov would visit to Turkey.
By the words of the President of the Republic, the construction of the pipeline is going successfully. "Our will is completion of it in the provide terms. If there are some delays, for the present they may be prevented and I am sure that the MEP would be put into operation timely. The Turkish side also convince us that all works would be executed within the terms", - Mr. I. Aliyev has said.
The certain delays in the construction of the Turkish piece of the pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan would postpone its putting into operation since 2004 to the mid of 2005. However the operator of the construction of the Turkish pipeline piece the state pipeline company BOTAS has taken a reliability of acceleration of the works in its area.
The length of the MEP makes 1767 km and 443 of them pass through the territory of Azerbaijan, 248 km - through the territory of Georgia, 1076 km - through the territory of Turkey. The capacity of the pipeline makes 50 MM tons of oil in a year.
The construction works started on April 2003 and will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2004. The Azerbaijan oil export from the port Ceyhan (Turkey) is planned by the second quarter 2005.
BP (30,1%), the SOCAR (25%), Unocal (8,9%), Statoil (8,71%), TPAO (6,53%), ENI (5%), Itochu (3,4%), ConocoPhillips (2,5%), INPEX (2,5%), TotalFinaElf (5%) and Amerada Hess (2,36%) are the shareholders of the project.
EXXONMOBIL HAS STARTED A DRILLING OF THE NEW EXPLORATION WELL ON THE STRUCTURE "ZAFAR-MASHAL".
He has noted that the new well is situated in 100 km from the previous one, its project depth makes 6.8 thou meters. "1 thou m have been drilled by the present time, for the present time there are not no problems by the present time", - the Vice-President of the SOCAR has said.
ExxonMobil started the sinking of the first previous well on this structure ExxonMobil on November 7, 2003. The Danish Company Maersk Contractors with using the new floating semi-submersible rig "Leader" had carried out the drilling. However, by the mid of December the drilling workers met powerful water emerging at a depth of about 1 thou meters and could not stop it. By this moment about $40 MM has been spent - a half of the budget allocated for this operation.
THE DRILLING OF THE NEXT WELL HAS BEEN COMPLETED FROM THE OFFSHORE STATIONARY PLATFORM
Totally from the deepwater offshore stationary platform eight platforms with a depth of 3100 - 4200 meters should be drilled in accordance with plans: six gas and two oil ones. It is supposed to use a part of the produced gas for the ensuring the requirements of the country in the autumn-winter season; the other one would be used for operation of wells by the gas lifting method. Expectedly, putting into operation of new wells from only this platform would allow to increase the gas production on "Guneshli: by 2.5 MM cubic meters daily.
The development of the shallow water area of the field "Guneshli" is conducted since 1980. It is situated to the south-east form the Absheron Peninsula and provides up to 65% of the Azerbaijan oil or 83% of the offshore production of the country. The remained supplies of the area are estimated by 94 - 130 MM tons of oil.
THE GAS SUPPLIES TO AZERBAIJAN ARE UNDER THE QUESTION AGAIN
The chiefs of the Chechen enterprise fear that for the conflict between "Gazprpom" and "Itera" it may be claimed in contraband, but there is not any agreement on transit of gas to the countries of the South Caucasus signed with it for 2004. The officials of "Gazprom" affirm that "Checengazprom" simply uses the situation for getting the fee for the fuel transit and paying nothing for gas consumption in Chechnya.
Pipelines by a lengthy of 110 km on the territory of Chechnya are under the management of"Chechengazprom". They deliver the gas to Dagestan, the Stavropol Region, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia as well to Checnya. The pipeline of "Chechengazprom" provides annual transit of 15 bn cubic meters of gas and in the current year Azerbaijan should receive above 6 bn cubic meters. The enterprise does not subordinate to "Gazprom" and is bounded with it by only partner agreements on gas pumping.
Yesterday the Management of "Chechengazprom" sent letters to the Chief of the Management of "Gazprom" Mr. A. Miller, the chief of the management of the international group of the companies "Itera" Mr. Igor Makarov and the Chief of the State Customs Committee of the RF Mr. Mikhail Vanin wit the suggestion "to stop the customs clearing and gas supply up to signing the relevant agreements with the cargo senders - gas owners". During the last three weeks the fuel is delivering by the pipe without the relevant contract, so "Chechengazprom" has formal bases for considering the gas as the contraband one.
"We wait for the answer of "Gazprom" in the next days. If it is not positive (i.e. "Gazprom" refuses of signing the transit agreement); we should limit gas supplies once after receiving the answer", the General Director of "Chechengazprom" Mr. Vakhid Bersanov has declared.
The Director of Press service of the Ministry of Energy Mr, Yuri Nogotkov has refused of commenting the position of its Ministry. And the officials of "Gazprom" have declared that the "Chechen side having debts for gas (4.69 bn roubles) tries to divide agreements to deliveries and transit for receiving transit payments and paying out nothing for fuel consumed in Checnya as before". The source in "Gazprom" has informed that one agreement, which would unite transit and deliveries, should be signed with "Chechnegazprom" by a schedule. "And the point is not in Transcaucasus".
Moreover, the ultimatum of "Chechengazprom" should to hurry "Gazprom" and "Itera" for completion of the South Caucasus market sharing. Yesterday it became known that Mr. Al. Miller, the Chief of the Management of the OJC "Gazprom" had promised to the presidents of the Georgian and Armenian gas companies to adjust problems with "Itera" and stabilize deliveries to the countries of the South Caucasus.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE OPEC: "THE CARTEL HAS REACHED THE LIMIT OF OIL PRODUCTION"
The OPEC does all possible for the prices stabilization, however "a responsibility load should not lay only on shoulders of the cartel", - the President of the OPEC has added. By his words, if the cost of barrel is recounted with taking a low rate of dollar into consideration, the prices may appear no so high as they say.
Meanwhile, the average price for oil expressed through the "basket" of the OPEC made already $31.01 for a barrel in accordance of sales held on January 20. This rate exceeds the upper level of the pricing, which makes $22 - $28 for a bbl for running thirty-three trade days. In accordance of non-registered regulations of the cartel if during running 20 days prices overcome the OPEC's price corridor, the organization should accept the relevant measures. However, this has not occurred still.
