[Index]
CASPIAN SEA REGION COUNTRIES ISSUE
STATEMENT ON
GLOBAL ENERGY SECURITY
Geneva, 15 July 2005 - High-level
representatives of Caspian Sea Region
countries have issued a joint Statement
following their discussions on emerging
energy security risks and risk mitigation
of the Caspian Sea Region in a global
context. The representatives of Azerbaijan,
Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan,
Russian Federation and Turkey addressed
these problems, challenges and related
opportunities of this region in enhancing
global energy security during the UNECE
Energy Security Forum held in Geneva on
28 June 2005.
The high-level representatives
included Mr. Igor Yusufov, Special Envoy
of President Vladimir Putin on International
Energy Cooperation, Russian Federation;
Mr. Vladimir Shkolnik, Minister of Energy
and Mineral Resources, Kazakhstan; and
Mr. Zaur Yaqubov, Special Advisor to the
Minister of Fuel and Energy, Azerbaijan;
Ambassador Seyed Mohammad Kazem Sajjadpour,
Islamic Republic of Iran and H.E. Mr.
Türkekul Kurttekin, Republic of Turkey.
In their Statement, the
representatives note that: “the
energy import dependence of most UNECE
member countries will continue to rise
in the foreseeable future, particularly
for oil and natural gas, increasing their
vulnerability to emerging energy security
risks.”
Policy makers in the
Caspian Sea region showed their awareness
of the strategic importance to their energy
resources. The high-level representatives
jointly acknowledged that: “the
doubling of energy production in the Caspian
Sea Region during the next five to ten
years and therefore greater exports could
provide UNECE energy importing member
States with additional energy supply options,
thus contributing to mitigation of energy
security risks across the UNECE regional
energy market.”
But greater energy exports
will require significant investments in
new oil energy production. Enhanced energy
transport facilities and new transport
corridors will be needed. The high-level
representatives further acknowledge that:
“In order for UNECE member
States to benefit from the increased oil
and natural gas exports from the Caspian
Sea Region, multi-billion dollar investments
will be needed to expand energy production
capacities and provide for new energy
transport infrastructure. Countries of
the Caspian Sea Region will need to establish
and maintain a suitable investment environment,
regulatory framework, facilitating the
transfer of technology, as well as provide
unrestricted access of their energy products
to the European market.”
UNECE member States
have a strategic interest in encouraging
the investments needed to increase energy
production and develop export agreements.
At the same time, the countries of the
Caspian Sea Region have a strategic interest
in establishing and maintaining a suitable
investment environment.
As a result of the session,
the Statement of the participating governments
of the countries surrounding the Caspian
Sea notes that: “In order
to accommodate the potential increase
in energy exports from the Caspian Sea
Region, the countries concerned will work
together and with our partners on enhanced
transport facilities, new transport corridors,
transit agreements, new energy production
and transportation systems while enhancing
the environmental quality of the region
in accordance with the principles of sovereignty
of States over their natural resources
and economic activity and freedom to choose
a suitable framework for their foreign
economic relations.”
This Statement clearly
reflects the policy direction of the governments
concerned and the specific initiatives
they are currently pursuing. Indeed, upon
his return to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan,
Mr. Vladimir Shkolnik, Minister of Energy
and Mineral Resources, Kazakhstan signed
a product sharing agreement on the Kurmangazy
natural gas pipeline project with Rosneft
Chairman Sergei Bogdanchilkvo and Uzaak
Karabalin, President of KazMunaiGaz. Russia
and Kazakhstan will invest USD 23 billion
in the Kurmangaz gas project on the Caspian
Sea, Russian President Vladimir Putin
told reporters in Astana.
For further information
about the Energy Security Forum and the
High-level Meeting, please consult the
UNECE website http://www.unece.org/ie
or contact:
Mr. Alexandre
Chachine
Industrial Restructuring, Energy
and Enterprise Development Division
United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe
Palais des Nations, Bureau 380
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: + 41(0)22 917
2451
Telefax: + 41(0)22 917 0038
E-mail: [email protected]
Ref: ECE/IREEDD/05/P07