BAKU.07.05.2004.MEDIA-PRESS: The countries of the West, in the first turn the USA, "at last have understood the geological importance of the Caspian Sea and started conduction of relevant policy in the region", The analyst of the Ministry of Defense of the USA Mr. James McDogall has expressed such idea on pages of the analytical bulletin "The Perspective". By his opinion, "political and economic development of the Caspian countries in the beginning of the current year has determined mainly the significant increase of interest of the American police officials to it".
As Mr. McDugall writes in the article "The New Stage of the US Policy in the Caspian Basin", relations with Azerbaijan show especially evidently geopolitical interests of the USA in the region. "Causes of this should be found in both geography and policy", - he writes - First of all, the explored and supposed oil resources of Azerbaijan exactly will play significant role on the world oil market in the twenty first century. The second, Azerbaijan has situated historically on a cross of sea and land ways. Today, taking into consideration numerous transport and communication lines laying through Azerbaijan and connecting Asia and Europe - so called Eurasian corridor, it is possible to say surely that the strategic position of Azerbaijan make it the most important country of the region". Azerbaijan, Mr. McDugal considers, is the most important country within frameworks of geography". Azerbaijan is already the most significant component in relations West - East and may play the same role in relations North - South.
And the position of the Washington administration in respect to amendment 907 in the "Act of 1992 on Freedom Maintenance", which forbids rendering assistance to Azerbaijan up to the President does not confirm the Congress that Azerbaijan has stopped the blockade of Armenia.
The American analyst has estimated this amendment on pages of the periodical issue "National Interest" as a result of "successful lobbying of such groups as the Armenian Assembly of the USA and the Armenian National Committee". A number of famous experts including ones from the American "Heritage Fund", which prepares recommendations for the Republican Party, have supported removal of the 907th amendment.
By the opinion of Mr. James McDugall, "growing interest to Azerbaijan and recognition of its importance for the US' policy as well accounting its national interest in connection with a necessity of access to the Caspian oil will appear most likely more effective than efforts of the Armenian lobby groups". "The same opinions on the strategic importance of Azerbaijan of high-ranked state officials from executive and legislative organs, both political parties, foreign ministry, scientific society and responsible officials of oil companies are based mainly on one matter in the end - oil, - he writes - Large oil supplies of Azerbaijan and other Caspian countries will require various approach in the XXI century when the USA will build their policy in conditions of less dependence of countries of the Persian Gulf.
Mr. McDugall has pays attention on the fact that activities of the USA in the region is limited enough for policy of keeping directed against Iran and sanctions against companies, which are engaged in business with Iran. A number of experts of external policy have called already to revising the US' policy in respect to Iran for the last political changes and geopolitical position of the Caspian region. By the opinion of Mr. McDugall this policy "is really is being revised".
The development of the American-Russian relations will affect significantly as well on future policy of the USA in the Caspian region. Mr. Talbot, the leading expert of relations with Russian in the administration of Mr. B. Clinton has showed this in his recent speech in the Institute of Central Asia. Particularly he has warned the present President Administration about consideration as "Large Play" the form or relations being founded in the region. Instead of this he suggests a model, in accordance with which everybody cooperate and win". "Today there is a lot of questions, which are vitally important for the neighbors of Russia; particularly the question on that how does Russia want to build its relations with the rest members of the CIS", - he has noted.
A policy in respect to the countries of the Caspian region, Mr. James McDugall thinks, "will be determined by internal and international pressure as well ideological and geopolitical factors in the end", however, it is especially important that at last the regional countries have got a freedom, when they broke free from the multicolored palette of former USSR and at the present time are getting their own significance and recognition".

IN AZERBAIJAN ON APRIL THE STATE RECEIVED 349.6 MM CUBIC METERS OF GAS