THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR OF IRAN HAS CALLED TO POSTPONE THE PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Ministe of Interior of Iran Mr. Abdolvakhed Musavi-Lari has appealed to postponing of the Parliament Elections.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Parliament of the Turkish Republic has taken the decision on conduction of the monetary reform. On January, 2005 the denomination of the national currency of the country will take place.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: "The priorities of Iran have been directed to the collective sharing of the Caspian Sea on a base of he historical boundaries, geographical specifics and scientific way", - the Special Envo of the President of Iran on the Caspian status determination Mr. Mekhdi Safari has said in his speech on the conference "The Trade Perspectives in the Caspian Sea" held in this country.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The first party of pipes for the construction of the South Caucasus pipeline (SCP) Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan has been delivered to Azerbaijan.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The company "Gazexport" (the branch company of the Russian gas monopolist "Gazprom") would start the gas deliveries to Azerbaijan since February 2004, the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" has been informed in the CJC "Azerigaz".
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Iran has stopped the drilling of the wells on its own shelf of the Caspian Sea and entirely been transferred to the seismological researches of the sea bottom. This studies are conducted jointly with the foreign companies.
BAKU.30.01.20034.MEDIA-PRESS: Most likely the Organizaion of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OFEC), would not reduce quotas on the oil production on the next conference of the cartel, which would be held on February 10 in Algeria. As the agency Bloomberg reports, the Minister of Energy and Mining Industry of Venezuela Mr. Rafael Ramires has made this statement on the press conference in Karakas.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The total volume of investments to the Azerbaijan economy in 1992 - 2003 (since the getting of the independence) made $16.5bn.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Development Program of the UNO (DP UNO) will partially finance the maintenance of the Investment Encouragement and Consultations Fund (IECF) of Azerbaijan, the officials of the Fund has informed the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan" about this and noted that the preliminary agreement of the DPUNO has been received already. By plans, in the beginning of February the signing of the relevant document is respected. The total of grant has not been agreed for the present.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: In 2004 the JC "Azeraluminiy" intends to increase the volume of export of ready production in 1.6 - 1.7 times in comparison with 2003 - from $58 MM up to $95 - $100. At the same time by the information of the Chief of the Board of the Directors of the Company Mr. Ali Ozkurt received by the agency "Interfax-Azerbaijan", the raw material import will increase more than in two times in comparison with 2003 and make $45 - 50 MM.
BAKU.30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: Baku supports the offer of the EU on restoration of the railway communication with Armenia in conditions of withdrawal of the Armenian troops from five Azerbaijan regions. The Deputy Minister of Interior of Azerbaijan Mr. Araz Azimov has said.
BAKU. 30.01.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The Council of the Nongovernmental Organizations of Samtskhe-Javahetiya (the Georgian region, where the Armenians dwell in majority), condemned the deputy of the Georgian Parliament Mr. Van Baiburtyan, who had declared recently in the Georgian press that the major part of the Armenians from Javakh does not want the autonomy for them.
In his letter to the Chief of the Iranian Constitution Guards Council Ayatollah Akhmad Jannati, published on the internet-site of the Ministry on Friday, he has explained his request of postponing by a necessity of the present process for organization of clear election and providing time for the Council for creation of conditions for elections".
The governors of 28 provinces had appealed earlier with the similar statement.
Recently the Constitution Guards Council forbade 4 thou candidates from the reform trend to stand in elections, which had been planned by September 20 including 82 actual deputies. Then this decision was partially revised and only 200 persons were permitted within frameworks of this list. This decision caused series of retirements in the Cabinet and protest demonstrations of the Parliament deputies.
THE PARLIAMENT OF TURKEY HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT THE DENOMINATION OF LIRA
The law project provides removal of six zeros at once. This will be done for interests of residents of the country. It is interesting that at the present time the coin of 50 thou liras is the minimum one in Turkey. It corresponds to 4 American cents according to the rate of exchange. The bus fare on the short distance makes 900 thou liras or approximately 70 American cents.
We shall remind that recently the South Korea considered the issue on denomination of the own currency. Moreover, replacement of banknotes of one nominal value by higher ones is excluded there. As if it would allow stimulate residents of the country to use cash. At the present time cheque books has been distributed in South Korea.
As RBK reports, the denomination in Russia may be taken as an example, when zeros were removed. Yugoslavia of 1990-s also may serve an example: banknotes by a nominal value of 1 bn dinars were available then there.
BY THE OPINION OF THE IRANIAN DIPLOMAT, THE POPULATION NUMBER OF THE LITTORAL COUNTRIES SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AT SHARING OF THE CASPIAN SEA
By the words of Mr. M. Safari, Iran is agreed with the sharing of the Caspian Sea and at the same time the minimum share of his country makes 20%. "The Iranian share has been determined on a base of the technical formula, certain rights and in accordance with the international laws and experience. Twenty percents have been got no from the mechanical dividing of hundred percents by five; they were got from the middle line and the justice should be kept and it depends on the length of the coast and the population number.
In the many years discussion on the issue of determination of their sectors all the Caspian countries bring the principle of the middle line as an argument, however at the same time each state of five ones bases on the different methods of its determination. Moreover, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan managed to find the consensus and adjust this issue. As it is known, three these countries has determined the boundaries of the Caspian bottom.
However, the new detail has appeared in the argumentation of the Iranian diplomat: It turns out that it should base on not only of the length of the coastline in sharing of the Caspian Sea, but also the population number. It an attention is paid to the last factor, Russia should get the major share of the sea as the country with the most numerous population amongst the Caspian states. However, it has got only 19% of the Caspian bottom.
And it the logic of the Iranian diplomat is followed by, Turkmenistan having the least population number amongst of five states should get nothing at all. Ashgabad would scarcely agree with this. Meanwhile, since the signing of the Russian-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan agreements, these countries have received 67% of the Caspian bottom (Russia and Azerbaijan - approximately by 19% for each one, Kazakhstan -29%). Thus, Tehran and Ashgabad should share rest 33%. Although it is not excepted that during the negotiation process with Baku (as it is known, Iran and Turkmenistan pretend on a number of the Azerbaijan fields) the sides would probably agree with joint development of the disputable areas in the Caspian Sea, as Russia and Kazakhstan had made this.
For the present the next round of the Azerbaijan-Iran negotiations on the Caspian status has been postponed up to February as if for illness of Mr. Mehdi Safari, by the information of the Iranian Embassy in Baku.
As to the Azerbaijan-Turkmen negotiations, they just finished in Ashgabad. The negotiations passed at the shut doors and after their completion the Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mr. Khalaf Khalafov leading the Azerbaijan delegation and officials of the Turkmen delegation did not announce anything. The State News Service of Turkmenistan appeared the single information source. By its information, "during the constructive and interested exchange of opinions relatively to principles of the development of the legal status of the Caspian status, the sides discussed a whole complex of issues associated with this matter including the sharing of the Caspian Sea. Emphasizing the necessity and significance of the continuation of the negotiation process, the sides of the Turkmen-Azerbaijan meeting fixed the trends of the joint work for the next future", - the information of the TNS reports.
A lack of the information lets to conclude that the sides have not achieved any significant results. However there is another interesting thing. Ashgabad has been the initiator of the present consultations. As the newspaper "Vremya novostey" affirms, not only the change of the Azerbaijan authoirities had been a reason for this. Turkmenistan would like to strengthen their positions in unexpectedly appeared disputes with Iran on the issue of the development of several oil field blocks (blocks 28, 29, 30, 31) in the south-east area of the Caspian Sea. Else two years ago the JC "Zarit" was founded with sharing of the Russian companies "Itera", "Rosneft" and "Zarubejneft" for the development of these blocks. On December of the past year the signing of the Production Sharing Agreement was to be signed between "Zarit" and the government of Turkmenistan. Moreover, it was supposed to attract the Turkmen and Iranian sides to the development of these fields; the possibility for providing them for 10 - 15% stocks of "Zarit".
However, the PSA did not take place; Iran opposed it. Tehran saw damage to its interests in the Turkmen-Russian PSA as it believes that the mentioned blocks are situated mainly within this 20% Caspian zone, which the Iranians pretend to. And these pretensions in their turn are the main barrier to the achieving the consensus between the countries of the Caspian "five". Nobody intends to share the Caspian Sea with Iran damaging itself. Now before the February Parliament elections in Iran, Tehran is not able to soften its position. So Ashgabad has resolved the political intrigue, trying to make Baku its supporter, - if the dispute between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on the fields in the Caspian center ("Kyapaz" and others) is adjusted favorably, then Tehran would appear alone in front of Baku and Ashgabad. But then Azerbaijan would be able to account support of Turkmenistan in its dispute with Iran on the block of the Caspian fields "Alov", - "Vremay Novostey" regards.
Evidently, the success of the Turkmen-Azerbaijan consultations is on behalf of the Russian interests, as from the commercial point of view on sharing of the Russian companies in the development of the oil blocks 28 - 31, as in connection with appearance of the additional lever of political pressure on Tehran in the issue of the sharing of the Caspian Sea.
THE FIRST PARTY OF PIPES FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS PIPELINE HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJAN
As the press service of the company BP-Azerbaijan informs, 240 pipes were delivered by railway to the Azerbaijan town Evlakh from the Georgian port Poti, Totally 3544 pipes made on the plant Sumitomo of Japan have been delivered to Georgia. One company of Malaysia covered pipes by the anticorrosion coating.
The analogous deliveries would continue up to the end of the year. And the construction works on the SCP would start after completion of the pipeline Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan. Totally, about 38.4 thou tubes would be required for laying the Azerbaijan piece of the SCP.
The SCP provides the gas transportation from the Azerbaijan field "Shakh-Deniz" to Turkey. Its construction is carried out within "Stage-1" of the development of this offshore field. The length of the SCP makes 690 km and 442 of them pass through the territory of Azerbaijan, 248 km - through the territory of Georgia, 1076 km - through the territory of Turkey. The annual capacity of the pipeline will make 20 bn cubic meters of gas. The cost of "Stage-1" makes $3.2 bn, expenses for the development of the field and gas production make $2.3 bn, the construction of the gas pipeline makes $0.9 bn.
The contract on the development of the field "Shakh-Deniz" was signed in 1996. The following companies as BP (the operator - 25.5%). Statoil (25.5%), the SOCAR (10%), LUKAgip (10%), OIEC (10%), TotalFinaElf (10%) and TPAO (9%) are the shareholders of the project.
"GAZPROM" WOULD START THE GAS DELIVERIES TO AZERBAIJAN SINCE FEBRUARY 2004
"The contract with "Gazexport" was concluded on December and this is quite difficult to start the gas deliveries since January. So the sides agreed to start the deliveries since February", - the interlocutor has explained.
At the present time the Russian company "Itera" deliveries 15 MM cubic meters of gas daily in accordance with the contract signed with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).
Since February the total volume of deliveries to Azerbaijan will reach 20 MM cubic meters of gas daily: "Itera" would deliver one half of them and "Gazexport" - the other.
All imported gas in directed to the heating electric power stations for producing of the electric energy, Due to the import, gas produced in Azerbaijan by a volume of slightly more than 5 bn cubic meters daily is delivered for domestic needs.
In 2004 the SOCAR plans to purchase 6 bn cubic meters of gas totally by the price of $52 for 1 thou cubic meters.
The five-year contract of purchase-sale of the Russian natural gas was signed with "Gaexport" in the end of December of 2003 and provides delivery of 2.75 bn cubic meters of gas as minimum.
In 2003 the SOCAR purchased 4 bn cubic meters of gas from the company "Itera". Totally the natural gas demands of Azerbaijan are estimated by 12 - 14 bn cubic meters.
IRAN HAS STOPPED THE DRILLING OF THE WELLS IN THE CASPIAN SEA
Nevertheless, in future Iran intends to develop the oil fields in the Caspian Sea as believes that in prospect the oil demands would grow up. By the confirmation of the Iranian sources, the cost of the production of the barrel of the Caspian oil would make 10 - 15 dollars for this country; meanwhile the oil barrel produced in the Persian Gulf costs 2.6 dollars in average for Iran.
By estimation of the Iranian experts, the oil supplies in eight fields in the Iranian sector of the Caspian Sea reach 32.8 bn barrels at a depth of 400 - 800 meters.
MOST LIKELY THE OPEC WOULD NOT REDUCE THE OIL PRODUCTION ON THE FEBRUARY CONFERENCE
"On the base of the market conjuncture, there is not causes for consideration of the production reduction, and consequently I think that all the ministers will agree with such solution", - Mr. R. Ramires has said.
He also has noted that for instant the deliveries of the crude oil to the market do not exceed demands. However, by the words of Mr. R. Ramires, the solution on the production reduction would be probably accepted by the OPEC at the meeting of the Ministers on March of this year. Expectedly, the conference would be held on March in Vienna.
On February conference the members of the OPEC intend to discuss the volumes of the oil production in the second quarter of 2004, when the reduction of the oil products demands is expected in connection with the end of winter in Europe and the USA.
Earlier some ministers including Mr. R. Ramires, had been speaking on in support of the production reduction for prevention of prices in period from April up to June of 2004.
"Winter in the USA still continues and besides uncertainty on deliveries from Iraq remains", - Mr. R. Ramires has said to journalists.
As it is told earlier, the President and executing the duties of the General Secretary of the OPEC Mr. Purnomo Yusgiantoro has declared earlier that for instant there are only two possible versions in issue of changing the production quotas: "Reduction or keeping the operating quotas and increase of oil production is not supposedly possible".
The Minister of Oil of Iran Mr. Bijan Zangane has also expressed the opinion that the OPEC scarcely would agree with oil production reduction, though this issue will be open on March. "Most likely, the OPEC would not reduce the production in the present conditions, however the decision on the reduction will be accepted at the March meeting", - he has said.
The official of Iran in the OPEC Mr. Khossein Kazempur Ardebili also supported the opinion of Mr. Zangane, which also considers the production reduction improbable at the present high prices for oil. The reduction would be possible only on April at low demand for furnace mazut and overfilling of the oil tanks. By his words the overproduction of oil would possibly made 4 MM bbl daily, Reuters reports from Tehran.
Now the quota in a volume of 24.5 MM bbl in a day operates in the OPEC, which was accepted on December 4 on the last conference and however the majority of the cartel members exceed it in unofficial order.
IN 1992 - 2003 THE INVESTMENTS TO THE ECONOMY OF AZERBAIJAN MADE $16.5 BN
By the information of the Ministry of the Economic Development, the foreign investments made 72.8% of the mentioned total.
17.81 trln manats were transferred to the economy of the country in 2003 and this is by 71.2% more than in 2002. At the same time in the past year 15.805 trln manats or 88.7% of all investments were transferred to the private sector.
"Totally, the investments volume in account of the inner sources made 3.47 trln manats in the past year (19.5% of total investments) and the foreign ones made 14.341 trln manats. In 2004 the volume of the foreign investments increased by 84.2% in comparison with the rates of 2002. This is told about in the press release of the MED.
The document emphasizes that by the volume of investments per capita Azerbaijan occupies the first place amongst the CIS countries.
The official rate of exchange on January 29 makes 4934 manats/$1.
THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF THE UNO WILL TAKE PART IN FINANCING THE INVESTMENT SUPPORT FUND OF AZERBAIJAN
Moreover, as well the Ministry of the Economic Development of Azerbaijan would carry out the financing of the fund in 2004.
The fund of the investment encouragement and consultations was created on April of 2003 by the initiative of the MED and should promote to attraction of foreign investments to the economy of the country.
IN 2004 "AZERALUMINIY" INTENDS TO INCREASE THE PRODUCTION EXPORT IN 1.6 - 1.7 TIMES
"The JC imports bauxites for the production of aluminum and since January 2004, the value-added tax must be paid for the bauxites import and in connection with this the monthly volume of payments makes $1MM. This is unprofitable or us, we might invest these means to the production", Mr. A. Ozkurt has said.
As well he has told that the company intends to appeal to the government of Azerbaijan with offer of freeing it from the payments of the value-added tax for the raw materials importation.
The Chief of the Board of the Directors has reminded that the Holland Company Fondel Metal, which manages "Azeraluminii" since 2001 and would do this for 25 years, had invested $42 MM to the production development within frameworks of the first stage of the investment program. The investments by a volume of $65 MM are planned for the second stage and $220 - 250 MM for the third one. The total investments of Fondel Metal should make about $1 bn.
The Gyanja Alumina Plant, Sumgayit Aluminum Plant and Zaglik Alunite Office has been included into the structure of "Azeralumini".
BAKU IS READY FOR RESTORATION THE RAILWAY COMMUNICATION WITH ARMENIA IN CONDITIONS OF LIBERATION OF FIVE REGIONS
"Certainly, Azerbaijan would like the peaceful way of this on a base of treatment. By my opinion, liberation of five regions from seven occupied ones (excepting Nagorny Garabakh) and simultaneous restoration of the railway in exchange of this is the receivable project".
He has noted, that in a case of the realization of this idea it would possible to be engaged in liberation of other occupied regions of Azerbaijan.
As well the diplomat has declared that in the end the future of the offer on restoration of the railway communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan would depend on consideration of the President of both the countries.
On past Tuesday the EU Committee on the Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security approved the report of the Expert of the EU on the South Caucasus Mr. Per Garton, and it is noted that the occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan by Armenia is the evident fact.
"By the report a necessity of liberation of five occupied regions of Azerbaijan for returning of refugees and restoration of railway passing connecting Baku with the Nakchivan Autonomous Republic", - the official of Azerbaijan in the EU Mr. Arif Mamedov has said.
Supposedly, the report of Mr. P.Garton will be approved on the plenary sitting of the session of the European Parliament, which will be held in Strasbourg.
During the blood conflict, which started in 1990-s between the Armenians and Azerbaijanis on Karabakh belonging, Baku lost the administration of not only Karabakh, but seven regions bordering on it - Agdam, Jebrail, Fizuli, Kelbajar, Lachin, Zangelan and Gubadli. In result of this about million Azerbaijanis became forced refugees, which dwell in the camp settlements now.
In 1993 three times the Security Council of the UN accepted the resolutions condemning the occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan and ordered the immediate, entire withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied territories without any conditions. However, Armenia ignored these orders.
THE ARMENIAN NGO IN GEORGIAN CONDEMNED THEIR DEPUTY FOR HIS REFUSAL OF AUTONOMY FOR THE GEORGIAN ARMENIANS
"It should be mentioned that Mr. Baiburtyan, who sits in Tbilisi absolutely has not information about events in Samtskhe-Javakhetiya and needs of people. His ill-informity of Mr. Baybyrtyan shows that Samtskhe-Javakhetiy has remained outside of the state administration process. "Georgia Times" and other newspapers may come to our region and clear up the public opinion", - the statement condemning Bayburtyan tells.
On December 30, then January 16 the Javakh Armenian Nongovernmental Organizations appealed to Mrs. Nino Burjanadze and Mr. Mr. Saakashvili with a letter, which particularly emphasized the necessity of autonomy for the region.
In his talk with the correspondent of the Armenian newspaper "Azg" Mr. Bayburtyan noted that "these organizations do not express the public opinion and they consist only of their leaders". "The majority of the population does not talk about the autonomy and understands all painful reaction of the authorities in Tbilisi at similar talks and this will not bring anything favorable to the Armenian-Georgian relations. It should be talked about enlarging the capacities of local authorities, - Mr. Bayburtyan has said and added that does not want to call sources financing organizations talking about the autonomy and not supported by the people".
