M
matthew_lulu_bryza@yahoo.com
Guest
Daniel Friedman concurs?
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
NATO Focus on BTC Security
05/04/2008 21:16 (1 Day 17:19 minutes ago)
The FINANCIAL -- "NA-TO is rea-dy to provi-de secur-ity for the Baku-
Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeli-ne," Patrick Gor-dowin, Depu-ty Sec-re-
ta-ry Ge-ne-ral of the All-ian-ce on reg-ion told jour-nalists on Febr-
ua-ry 3.
The all-ian-ce is al-so rea-dy to provide techn-ical support to the
partic-ipant count-ries of the BTC project and pro-tect the pipeli-ne
from any possible dan-gers.
The BTC pipeline, which was one of the key topics discussed at the 7th
Georgian International Oil, Gas, Energy and Infrastructure Conference
and Showcase (GIOGIE) held in Tbilisi , Georgia on 3-4 April 2008,
began operating in June 2006. With a total construction cost of USD 4
billion, the BTC pipeline is the first direct transportation link
between the Caspian and the Mediterranean seas. At full capacity, it
can deliver one million barrels of oil to market, generating important
revenues for the Georgian government for decades to come.
"I had not seen this information, it is a report of what Gordowin is
supposed to have said, and therefore I can't comment on it. The NATO
public affairs office in Brussels or Gordowin himself would better
clarify what NATO is and is not willing to do for the BTC. As for the
US interests in Georgia's oil sector, there are already two successful
American players in the field: Anadarko and Frontera," Robert Kiene,
Deputy Chief, Political/ Economic Section of the US Embassy to
Georgia, told The FINANCIAL.
ENRON ENRON ENRON ENRON
Anadarko is the operator of the consortium holding the 8,900 sq.km
exploration licence, offshore Georgia (JKX: 4% net profit interest).
Following extensive seismic and geological data acquisition, a
preferred location for the first exploration well has been identified.
This commitment well is dependent on Anadarko attracting additional
farm-in partners, following the recent withdrawal of BP and Chevron
from the consortium, and securing a suitable drilling rig.
Frontera Resources Corporation is an independent Houston, Texas,
U.S.A. - based international oil and gas exploration and production
company whose strategy is to identify opportunities and operate in
emerging markets around the world. Frontera has operated in Georgia
since 1997 where it holds a 100 percent working interest in a
production sharing agreement with the Government of Georgia. This
gives Frontera the exclusive right to explore for, develop and produce
oil and gas from a 5,060 square kilometre area in Eastern Georgia
known as Block 12.
"According to the Host Government Agreements that govern the BTC
project, provision of security services on the pipelines and its
facilities is the responsibility of the Government of Georgia. The
Georgian government is responsible for securing the pipelines - as it
does any strategic asset inside its borders. Therefore there is not
much more we can say on the topic. The question is really one for the
government to respond to," Matt Taylor, Communications and External
Affairs Manager of British Petroleum (BP), told The FINANCIAL.
As for NATO 's reasons for hesitation on providing security for the
BTC pipeline, Turkish Weekly writes in April 3, 2008 publication that,
Geopolitics assumes that every action, even a seemingly irrational
one, must have an agenda. Having said that, the decision to lay the
Trans-Caucasian pipeline via potentially unstable regions in
Azerbaijan, Georgia suffering from separatist conflicts, and Turkey,
where the threat of Kurdish PKK terrorist attacks persists, could
indirectly facilitate allocation of NATO troops to the conflict zones
to secure the stability and protect the pipeline.
"Fears were sounded repeatedly that security of the BTC is in danger
from international terrorist organizations and from instability in
rural communities. The United States as one of the biggest investors
and a promoter of the regional pipeline projects, also an influential
NATO member, has reasonable concerns about pipeline security and
wishes to protect its investment".
Some suggest that America wants to ensure its military presence in
this geo-strategic territory. Clearly, passing through a turbulent
region, the pipelines need special protection from possible terrorist
attacks. NATO might see this as its duty to allocate special units in
the region, which would strengthen its presence and influence in the
South Caucasus and the Caspian. Although, so far NATO officials state
there are no plans to get directly involved in the protection of the
pipeline, they have offered their assistance in providing "NATO's
military expertise to local security forces."
"An Antiterrorism Centre was established in Georgia and radar antenna
granted to Azerbaijan. Local security corps have already been granted
training from NATO -member countries: Georgian Special State
Protection Service and Azerbaijani Pipeline Security Service have been
trained by American Security Company "Equity International", whereas
the Turkish Gendarmerie received training from Northern Ireland
security forces. In addition to this, the three governments jointly
with BP Field Security teams have established a special area
patrolling force along the route of BTC and BTE from the local
population".
Main news in Georgia especially during the last couple of months has
been the April 2008 Bucharest summit of the transatlantic alliance
whether the country and its neighbour Ukraine would get to the so-
called Membership Action Plan, or MAP. Though, eventually, due to the
strong opposition from Germany and France, the two countries' route to
MAP has been postponed till the end of 2008. Germany and France were
said to have been blackmailed by Russia and urged to deliver negative
voting.
During the Bucharest summit representatives of the 26 legislatures of
NATO agreed to the accession of Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, and
Albania and invited them to join NATO .
Speaking jubilantly to Georgian journalists in Bucharest, President
Saakashvili said that the NATO summit's eventual outcome was much
better than receiving the Membership Action Plan, which Tbilisi was
denied at this stage.
"I am sure that we will become NATO member much sooner than my
presidential term expires," declared the President.
Apart from the BTC pipeline issue, unlike Russia, Germany and France,
the U.S.A has a rather positive outlook about Georgia joining NATO .
The U.S President Bush said he would like to see Georgia become a NATO
member at some point.
In the analysis of 2007, JOHN C.K. DALY, UPI International
Correspondent claims that The Azeri, Georgian and Turkish governments
may not have to go it alone in providing BTC protection, as NATO is
already considering the issue of the BTC pipeline security. Speaking
after a recent NATO summit in Riga, Robert Simmons, the NATO secretary
general's special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia,
said the issue of protecting energy infrastructure belonging both to
NATO members and their partners was on the agenda.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which carries Caspian oil to
world markets via the Haydar Aliyev terminal in Ceyhan, keeps earning
Turkey significant amounts of revenue. As of March the BTC pipeline
had transported 333 million barrels, earning revenue of USD 1.5
billion.
BTC transported 750,000 barrels of crude oil per day during the first
quarter of 2008, adding that their goal is to increase the daily
capacity to 840,000 barrels by the end of this year.
Approximately USD 3.4 billion was invested in the BTC project, which
carries crude oil from Azerbaijan to the port in Ceyhan via Georgia
and onwards to the rest of the world. The 1,776-kilometer-long BTC, of
which 1,076 kilometres pass through Turkey, has a full transport
capacity of 1 million barrels per day and 50 million tonnes per year.
As Turkish Daily News reported on January 17, an economically and
socially healthy Georgia, cooperating with its new allies on all
aspects of security, will stabilize the Black Sea and provide a solid
beachhead for the East-West corridor. In sum, Georgia in NATO is the
best way to maximize the potential of that first train engine that
will make its way from Kars to Baku in 2010, and Turkey should lead
its NATO partners to this realization.
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
GIOGIE has become the traditional annual forum attracting over 250
delegates from 15 countries. The conference was officially supported
by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Ministry of Energy of Georgia,
Ministry of Economic Development, and Georgian Oil & Gas Corporation
(GOGC). Senior level delegations from USA, UK, Turkey, Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan attended GIOGIE.
"Georgia's role as a transit state and principal regional player is
hard to underestimate. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum and
Baku-Supsa represent projects of regional importance. Within the
framework of these projects GOGC acts as a monitor of the process thus
representing the state's interest during the operation/implementation
phase of the "contracts of the century", Zurab Janjgava, the General
Director of GOGC, told The FINANCIAL.
In Janjgava's words, GOGC together with foreign investors
participating in oil production totalled 56,630.72 tonnes of crude oil
and 24,606,251 cubic metres of gas production in the year 2007. An
entire volume of crude oil has been exported from Georgia.
"With the financial support of the US government, GOGC is in the
second stage of an energy infrastructure rehabilitation project
financed under the Millennium Challenge Compact," stated Janjgava.
The South Caucasus gas pipeline and the BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan)
pipeline allow oil and gas to flow from Azerbaijan through Georgia to
Europe. Over the last decade, USD 5 billion has been invested by BP
and its partners into development of the major oil and gas pipelines
that cross Georgia.
Reconstruction work on the Batumi Oil Terminal is now complete and
reconstruction of the Poti port is currently underway. Construction of
a new, Kulevi Oil Terminal, operated by SOCAR , will be completed this
year.
"Nowadays a quarter of the Georgian market is controlled by SOCAR
products, that's 200 thousand tonnes and in 2008 the figure will reach
300 thousand. We plan to invest USD 100 million in Georgia in 2008.
The aggressive retail approach development in the country has been
reflected in SOCAR turnover - USD 400 million. Since April 25 we'll
exploit the very first complex including 15 filling stations and by
the end of 2009 I assume the number will reach 32-33," Elshad
Nassirov, Vice President of SOCAR , Azeri State owned company, told
The FINANCIAL.
On Mar 10, 10:12 pm, ++ <fri...@spambot.com> wrote:
> Dear Matthew, is this your article or is muckraking hillbilly another
> person?
>
> What you are talking about in issue one, care for the elderly and other
> people in need, is kindness toward our elders and extended families
> which works if people are both Orthodox, inclusive, community oriented
> and are able to atually give the care, something you can't do if you
> have both members of a couple working jobs outside the home in order to
> afford that home for the family to live in.
>
> Issue two, reasonable alternativves to people in power is a problem in
> many countries, not just Georgia. Who are the alternatives to
> Saakashvili? Why don' twe ever hear about these alternatives? Why
> isn't at least the Georgian diaspora showcasing new leadership and ideas
> online? I recognize your effort - great.
>
>
>
> muckraking_hillbi...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >re: Georgia needs a totally new opposition, or she will sink.
>
> >Matthew L. Bryza on "Fully Reloaded Georgian Parliament the Best Shot
> >for the future of Georgia?"
>
> >TEXT
> >Fully Reloaded Georgian Parliament the Best Shot for the future of
> >Georgia? AP News
>
> > Nov. 7th, 2007, Tbilisi
>
> >by Matthew L. Bryza
>
> >I believe Ms. Hammick writing for JANE'S DEFENSE WEEKLY upon the
> >upcoming election in Tbilisi, was practicing the art of, as F. Scott
> >Fitzgerald once said, of "the test of a first rate intelligence is
> >the
> >ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and
> >still retain the ability to function".
>
> >How so? She was evidently flipping through her mind the several
> >conflicting tentative dates set for the parliamentary elections,
> >since
> >late 2003. Since Nov. 23rd, 2003, when President Saakashvili
> >parachuted into his position as ruler of Georgia, and the rarely
> >clarified-in-the-media Georgian constitutional amendments made in
> >December, 2005, most people are understandably deeply confused and
> >divided on basic democratic procedures here, regarding efforts that
> >would help the majority of people, rather than propping up some cold
> >and abstract ideology in its stead, helping insiders only.
>
> >Here is a blurb from Freedom House back in mid 2005, to refresh your
> >memory of the jigsaw puzzle of parliamentary election procedure here:
>
> >[First, Saakashvili and NED and the Liberty Institute set in train
> >the protests which brought him to power on 23rd November, 2003.
>
> >Thus, it can be argued, that parliamentary elections should have
> >been held in Nov. of 2007.]
>
> >15.06.2005 - Source: Freedom House, the 2004 elections were somewhat
> >free and fair; however, the level of political pluralism had been
> >severely reduced, as no party could compete with National Movement-
> >Democrats
>
> >("Nations in Transit 2005") [#32929], [ID 4745]
>
> > "...the elections of 2004 were considered generally free and fair,
>
> >though voter lists were still not fully complete. There was no
>
> >harassment of the opposition. However, the level of political
>
> >pluralism was sharply reduced as the former ruling party completely
>
> >disbanded and no political group could compete with Mikheil
>
> >Saakashvili and his National Movement-Democrats. Only one opposition
>
> >bloc of the New Rights and Industrialists was able narrowly to
>
> >overcome the 7 percent threshold for party lists."
>
> >RHETORICAL QUESTION: Compared to Georgians and their 6 or 7 thousand
> >year old fiercely loyal and devoted family traditions, how many
> >Americans do you know who actually look after their old parents and
> >grandparents themselves, and do not put them into criminally USA-
> >style overpriced and shamefully profitable nursing/senior/memory care
> >homes, backed up in large measure by MEDICARE political insiders,
> >working along with State and Federal congresspersons? Probably two,
> >one, or none. How many Americans typically speak and read three
> >languages and alphabets, and who work 45 to 65 hours a week with not
> >a
> >tetri of paid overtime, and without complaining about the total lack
> >of labor laws in their Parliament??? Again, nearly zero. You can
> >count such Americans on one hand! Here, in Georgia , such models of
> >self-sacrifice and duty are as common as khachipuri, their local
> >grilled cheese sandwich.
>
> >These diamantine Georgians illustrated briefly above are the citizens
> >who belong in their Parliament, and not only elites and millionaire
> >businessmen/women, and THEY should be the ones to select a new
> >president, if there is to be any hope of true democracy here in
> >Georgia any year soon.
>
> >A president such as "Misha" [short for Saakashvili], who galloped
> >into
> >power overnight on the day quoted above, would be fairly tested by
> >the
> >people of his new democracy, if and only if, the people themselves
> >gave him something like his report card grades after the last 4 long
> >years in which he could evaluate himself too, in careful and painful
> >self-examination. The result of a revitalizing and invigorating new
> >parliamentary election process, in which a `new batch of 2007/2008
> >parliament MPs', not in any way part of Saakashvili's clan, nor part
> >of the current Opposition's clan, could and would implement fresh and
> >vigorous legislation and programs. If only they had been allowed to
> >do so at the end of 2007, a global miracle would have been born - a
> >real beacon of light !!!
>
> >A real beacon of light, especially when one considers the helpful and
> >democracy-building funding from outside agencies of the last 4 years,
> >thanks to credits and currencies from the USAID, the EU, the UN,
> >SECO/
> >SDC, the German government, et al, who have greatly helped make many
> >of the improvements the Georgians have desperately needed, after the
> >mayhem and ugly scenarios following the collapse of communism in this
> >nation.
>
> >Isn't this the nub of the conflict today, and a major cause of the
> >loss of public and international confidence in the current
> >Saakashvili
> >government? Aren't I correct?
>
> >Georgians themselves, excluding the ever and over and twice again
> >prospering current Members of Parliament, the normal members of the
> >legendary Family of Georgia are cut off at the knees from any kind of
> >truly democratic structures and planks and platforms, in nearly every
> >respect, in the current situation? Can anyone remember how
> >Shevardnadze reinstated most of his Parliament after he dismissed
> >them, more or less, can you dig out these events from the faded
> >memories of the past? How many key players in Saakashvili's clan
> >worked at one time [for quite a long while, indeed] on the monorail
> >of
> >Shevaradnadze's express train to disunity and oblivion and hunger?
> >Will not they simply repeat the same mistakes?
>
> >So we might conclude after an hour or two of productive thought on
> >this matter, [i.e., of a fresh and uncompromised Parliament], that
> >the
> >Georgian people were indeed deprived of a timely, and legal, and in-
> >their-favor, parliamentary election, in November of 2007, which
> >might
> >have brought about the promising guiding-light of fresh teams of
> >Georgian MBAs and MDs and Masters degree winners, coming back from
> >USA, UK, and Germany, the EU, et al.
>
> >Along with the principals and top teachers of Tbilisi and Kutaisi and
> >Batumi and Telavi schools, and Georgian physician-activists for the
> >desperately needed hospital care and health care here for the
> >struggling desperately people of Georgia, and along with them also
> >the
> >passionate property rights activists, and the grey panthers of
> >organized parties of disgruntled pensioners, and the many magnificent
> >and proud Georgians, which include displaced farmers from their
> >hectares who are being replaced by huge corporate conglomerate
> >automated farms, owned by many current MPs, these urgently needed new
> >MPs -- who could have stampeded into parliament as newly elected MPs
> >this new year, if just given the chance -- and that this imagined
> >truly democratic and model parliamentary election, could have come
> >into being at the most opportune time for the natives of this land,
> >late 2007, early 2008, consisting of the non-elite of Georgia
> >basically. They would have swept out most of Misha's MPs, and along
> >with them the bulk of old Shevaradnadze and Moscow-resonating fiddle
> >stringers too, who/which are frequently and deeply embedded in the
> >half-dozen or more, old and very tiresome Opposition parties here, as
> >time rolls on like tank treads?
>
> >These never recruited and never elected new MPs would have averted
> >the
> >hurried and hasty presidential elections of Jan. 5, 2008, and would
> >just as likely waited until a late 2008 election date to install
> >their
> >new president. By this time there would have been nearly a full year
> >of generous and hospitable Georgian debates, within a newly
> >transfigured Parliament, MPs most probably not in tune with Misha
> >during this hypothetical 2008 year's passing, and they would all have
> >had to agree and/or disagree with each other in a gentlemanly or
> >ladylike way, until end of 2008. Political pluralism would have
> >flowered like the Garden of Eden, and new and friendly coalitions
> >would have emerged [only in this scenario] and triumphed from the
> >basic reforms of Saakashvili's first two years.
>
> >These new and unheard of , but now lost to Georgia's better and
> >undiscovered destiny, these many freshly minted MPs could have TRULY
> >debated issues and policies and finances, rather than the mud
> >slinging
> >ejaculations and shout spasms we see today, and these angels of
> >democracy were in many aspects stolen from the garden of justice,
> >just
> >as its flowers were showing her firsts blossoms. These
> >hypothetical
> >MPs might have had the chance to vote in Parliament on the issues
> >TRULY important to THEM and to their constituents, and not just to
> >pocket USAID money for imported goods laden highways, nor toady up
> >to
> >the Pentagon's strategies for Georgia, nor kneel to the proponents of
> >Vladimir Putin, his inner team evidently NOT allies of Georgia, nor
> >would these ideal MPs have supported the old business ties to Russia
> >that are
>
> ...
>
> read more >>- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
NATO Focus on BTC Security
05/04/2008 21:16 (1 Day 17:19 minutes ago)
The FINANCIAL -- "NA-TO is rea-dy to provi-de secur-ity for the Baku-
Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeli-ne," Patrick Gor-dowin, Depu-ty Sec-re-
ta-ry Ge-ne-ral of the All-ian-ce on reg-ion told jour-nalists on Febr-
ua-ry 3.
The all-ian-ce is al-so rea-dy to provide techn-ical support to the
partic-ipant count-ries of the BTC project and pro-tect the pipeli-ne
from any possible dan-gers.
The BTC pipeline, which was one of the key topics discussed at the 7th
Georgian International Oil, Gas, Energy and Infrastructure Conference
and Showcase (GIOGIE) held in Tbilisi , Georgia on 3-4 April 2008,
began operating in June 2006. With a total construction cost of USD 4
billion, the BTC pipeline is the first direct transportation link
between the Caspian and the Mediterranean seas. At full capacity, it
can deliver one million barrels of oil to market, generating important
revenues for the Georgian government for decades to come.
"I had not seen this information, it is a report of what Gordowin is
supposed to have said, and therefore I can't comment on it. The NATO
public affairs office in Brussels or Gordowin himself would better
clarify what NATO is and is not willing to do for the BTC. As for the
US interests in Georgia's oil sector, there are already two successful
American players in the field: Anadarko and Frontera," Robert Kiene,
Deputy Chief, Political/ Economic Section of the US Embassy to
Georgia, told The FINANCIAL.
ENRON ENRON ENRON ENRON
Anadarko is the operator of the consortium holding the 8,900 sq.km
exploration licence, offshore Georgia (JKX: 4% net profit interest).
Following extensive seismic and geological data acquisition, a
preferred location for the first exploration well has been identified.
This commitment well is dependent on Anadarko attracting additional
farm-in partners, following the recent withdrawal of BP and Chevron
from the consortium, and securing a suitable drilling rig.
Frontera Resources Corporation is an independent Houston, Texas,
U.S.A. - based international oil and gas exploration and production
company whose strategy is to identify opportunities and operate in
emerging markets around the world. Frontera has operated in Georgia
since 1997 where it holds a 100 percent working interest in a
production sharing agreement with the Government of Georgia. This
gives Frontera the exclusive right to explore for, develop and produce
oil and gas from a 5,060 square kilometre area in Eastern Georgia
known as Block 12.
"According to the Host Government Agreements that govern the BTC
project, provision of security services on the pipelines and its
facilities is the responsibility of the Government of Georgia. The
Georgian government is responsible for securing the pipelines - as it
does any strategic asset inside its borders. Therefore there is not
much more we can say on the topic. The question is really one for the
government to respond to," Matt Taylor, Communications and External
Affairs Manager of British Petroleum (BP), told The FINANCIAL.
As for NATO 's reasons for hesitation on providing security for the
BTC pipeline, Turkish Weekly writes in April 3, 2008 publication that,
Geopolitics assumes that every action, even a seemingly irrational
one, must have an agenda. Having said that, the decision to lay the
Trans-Caucasian pipeline via potentially unstable regions in
Azerbaijan, Georgia suffering from separatist conflicts, and Turkey,
where the threat of Kurdish PKK terrorist attacks persists, could
indirectly facilitate allocation of NATO troops to the conflict zones
to secure the stability and protect the pipeline.
"Fears were sounded repeatedly that security of the BTC is in danger
from international terrorist organizations and from instability in
rural communities. The United States as one of the biggest investors
and a promoter of the regional pipeline projects, also an influential
NATO member, has reasonable concerns about pipeline security and
wishes to protect its investment".
Some suggest that America wants to ensure its military presence in
this geo-strategic territory. Clearly, passing through a turbulent
region, the pipelines need special protection from possible terrorist
attacks. NATO might see this as its duty to allocate special units in
the region, which would strengthen its presence and influence in the
South Caucasus and the Caspian. Although, so far NATO officials state
there are no plans to get directly involved in the protection of the
pipeline, they have offered their assistance in providing "NATO's
military expertise to local security forces."
"An Antiterrorism Centre was established in Georgia and radar antenna
granted to Azerbaijan. Local security corps have already been granted
training from NATO -member countries: Georgian Special State
Protection Service and Azerbaijani Pipeline Security Service have been
trained by American Security Company "Equity International", whereas
the Turkish Gendarmerie received training from Northern Ireland
security forces. In addition to this, the three governments jointly
with BP Field Security teams have established a special area
patrolling force along the route of BTC and BTE from the local
population".
Main news in Georgia especially during the last couple of months has
been the April 2008 Bucharest summit of the transatlantic alliance
whether the country and its neighbour Ukraine would get to the so-
called Membership Action Plan, or MAP. Though, eventually, due to the
strong opposition from Germany and France, the two countries' route to
MAP has been postponed till the end of 2008. Germany and France were
said to have been blackmailed by Russia and urged to deliver negative
voting.
During the Bucharest summit representatives of the 26 legislatures of
NATO agreed to the accession of Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, and
Albania and invited them to join NATO .
Speaking jubilantly to Georgian journalists in Bucharest, President
Saakashvili said that the NATO summit's eventual outcome was much
better than receiving the Membership Action Plan, which Tbilisi was
denied at this stage.
"I am sure that we will become NATO member much sooner than my
presidential term expires," declared the President.
Apart from the BTC pipeline issue, unlike Russia, Germany and France,
the U.S.A has a rather positive outlook about Georgia joining NATO .
The U.S President Bush said he would like to see Georgia become a NATO
member at some point.
In the analysis of 2007, JOHN C.K. DALY, UPI International
Correspondent claims that The Azeri, Georgian and Turkish governments
may not have to go it alone in providing BTC protection, as NATO is
already considering the issue of the BTC pipeline security. Speaking
after a recent NATO summit in Riga, Robert Simmons, the NATO secretary
general's special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia,
said the issue of protecting energy infrastructure belonging both to
NATO members and their partners was on the agenda.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which carries Caspian oil to
world markets via the Haydar Aliyev terminal in Ceyhan, keeps earning
Turkey significant amounts of revenue. As of March the BTC pipeline
had transported 333 million barrels, earning revenue of USD 1.5
billion.
BTC transported 750,000 barrels of crude oil per day during the first
quarter of 2008, adding that their goal is to increase the daily
capacity to 840,000 barrels by the end of this year.
Approximately USD 3.4 billion was invested in the BTC project, which
carries crude oil from Azerbaijan to the port in Ceyhan via Georgia
and onwards to the rest of the world. The 1,776-kilometer-long BTC, of
which 1,076 kilometres pass through Turkey, has a full transport
capacity of 1 million barrels per day and 50 million tonnes per year.
As Turkish Daily News reported on January 17, an economically and
socially healthy Georgia, cooperating with its new allies on all
aspects of security, will stabilize the Black Sea and provide a solid
beachhead for the East-West corridor. In sum, Georgia in NATO is the
best way to maximize the potential of that first train engine that
will make its way from Kars to Baku in 2010, and Turkey should lead
its NATO partners to this realization.
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
Robert Kiene, Deputy Chief--NATO will NEVER protect vested BP profit
interests in Georgia!
GIOGIE has become the traditional annual forum attracting over 250
delegates from 15 countries. The conference was officially supported
by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Ministry of Energy of Georgia,
Ministry of Economic Development, and Georgian Oil & Gas Corporation
(GOGC). Senior level delegations from USA, UK, Turkey, Kazakhstan and
Azerbaijan attended GIOGIE.
"Georgia's role as a transit state and principal regional player is
hard to underestimate. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum and
Baku-Supsa represent projects of regional importance. Within the
framework of these projects GOGC acts as a monitor of the process thus
representing the state's interest during the operation/implementation
phase of the "contracts of the century", Zurab Janjgava, the General
Director of GOGC, told The FINANCIAL.
In Janjgava's words, GOGC together with foreign investors
participating in oil production totalled 56,630.72 tonnes of crude oil
and 24,606,251 cubic metres of gas production in the year 2007. An
entire volume of crude oil has been exported from Georgia.
"With the financial support of the US government, GOGC is in the
second stage of an energy infrastructure rehabilitation project
financed under the Millennium Challenge Compact," stated Janjgava.
The South Caucasus gas pipeline and the BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan)
pipeline allow oil and gas to flow from Azerbaijan through Georgia to
Europe. Over the last decade, USD 5 billion has been invested by BP
and its partners into development of the major oil and gas pipelines
that cross Georgia.
Reconstruction work on the Batumi Oil Terminal is now complete and
reconstruction of the Poti port is currently underway. Construction of
a new, Kulevi Oil Terminal, operated by SOCAR , will be completed this
year.
"Nowadays a quarter of the Georgian market is controlled by SOCAR
products, that's 200 thousand tonnes and in 2008 the figure will reach
300 thousand. We plan to invest USD 100 million in Georgia in 2008.
The aggressive retail approach development in the country has been
reflected in SOCAR turnover - USD 400 million. Since April 25 we'll
exploit the very first complex including 15 filling stations and by
the end of 2009 I assume the number will reach 32-33," Elshad
Nassirov, Vice President of SOCAR , Azeri State owned company, told
The FINANCIAL.
On Mar 10, 10:12 pm, ++ <fri...@spambot.com> wrote:
> Dear Matthew, is this your article or is muckraking hillbilly another
> person?
>
> What you are talking about in issue one, care for the elderly and other
> people in need, is kindness toward our elders and extended families
> which works if people are both Orthodox, inclusive, community oriented
> and are able to atually give the care, something you can't do if you
> have both members of a couple working jobs outside the home in order to
> afford that home for the family to live in.
>
> Issue two, reasonable alternativves to people in power is a problem in
> many countries, not just Georgia. Who are the alternatives to
> Saakashvili? Why don' twe ever hear about these alternatives? Why
> isn't at least the Georgian diaspora showcasing new leadership and ideas
> online? I recognize your effort - great.
>
>
>
> muckraking_hillbi...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >re: Georgia needs a totally new opposition, or she will sink.
>
> >Matthew L. Bryza on "Fully Reloaded Georgian Parliament the Best Shot
> >for the future of Georgia?"
>
> >TEXT
> >Fully Reloaded Georgian Parliament the Best Shot for the future of
> >Georgia? AP News
>
> > Nov. 7th, 2007, Tbilisi
>
> >by Matthew L. Bryza
>
> >I believe Ms. Hammick writing for JANE'S DEFENSE WEEKLY upon the
> >upcoming election in Tbilisi, was practicing the art of, as F. Scott
> >Fitzgerald once said, of "the test of a first rate intelligence is
> >the
> >ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and
> >still retain the ability to function".
>
> >How so? She was evidently flipping through her mind the several
> >conflicting tentative dates set for the parliamentary elections,
> >since
> >late 2003. Since Nov. 23rd, 2003, when President Saakashvili
> >parachuted into his position as ruler of Georgia, and the rarely
> >clarified-in-the-media Georgian constitutional amendments made in
> >December, 2005, most people are understandably deeply confused and
> >divided on basic democratic procedures here, regarding efforts that
> >would help the majority of people, rather than propping up some cold
> >and abstract ideology in its stead, helping insiders only.
>
> >Here is a blurb from Freedom House back in mid 2005, to refresh your
> >memory of the jigsaw puzzle of parliamentary election procedure here:
>
> >[First, Saakashvili and NED and the Liberty Institute set in train
> >the protests which brought him to power on 23rd November, 2003.
>
> >Thus, it can be argued, that parliamentary elections should have
> >been held in Nov. of 2007.]
>
> >15.06.2005 - Source: Freedom House, the 2004 elections were somewhat
> >free and fair; however, the level of political pluralism had been
> >severely reduced, as no party could compete with National Movement-
> >Democrats
>
> >("Nations in Transit 2005") [#32929], [ID 4745]
>
> > "...the elections of 2004 were considered generally free and fair,
>
> >though voter lists were still not fully complete. There was no
>
> >harassment of the opposition. However, the level of political
>
> >pluralism was sharply reduced as the former ruling party completely
>
> >disbanded and no political group could compete with Mikheil
>
> >Saakashvili and his National Movement-Democrats. Only one opposition
>
> >bloc of the New Rights and Industrialists was able narrowly to
>
> >overcome the 7 percent threshold for party lists."
>
> >RHETORICAL QUESTION: Compared to Georgians and their 6 or 7 thousand
> >year old fiercely loyal and devoted family traditions, how many
> >Americans do you know who actually look after their old parents and
> >grandparents themselves, and do not put them into criminally USA-
> >style overpriced and shamefully profitable nursing/senior/memory care
> >homes, backed up in large measure by MEDICARE political insiders,
> >working along with State and Federal congresspersons? Probably two,
> >one, or none. How many Americans typically speak and read three
> >languages and alphabets, and who work 45 to 65 hours a week with not
> >a
> >tetri of paid overtime, and without complaining about the total lack
> >of labor laws in their Parliament??? Again, nearly zero. You can
> >count such Americans on one hand! Here, in Georgia , such models of
> >self-sacrifice and duty are as common as khachipuri, their local
> >grilled cheese sandwich.
>
> >These diamantine Georgians illustrated briefly above are the citizens
> >who belong in their Parliament, and not only elites and millionaire
> >businessmen/women, and THEY should be the ones to select a new
> >president, if there is to be any hope of true democracy here in
> >Georgia any year soon.
>
> >A president such as "Misha" [short for Saakashvili], who galloped
> >into
> >power overnight on the day quoted above, would be fairly tested by
> >the
> >people of his new democracy, if and only if, the people themselves
> >gave him something like his report card grades after the last 4 long
> >years in which he could evaluate himself too, in careful and painful
> >self-examination. The result of a revitalizing and invigorating new
> >parliamentary election process, in which a `new batch of 2007/2008
> >parliament MPs', not in any way part of Saakashvili's clan, nor part
> >of the current Opposition's clan, could and would implement fresh and
> >vigorous legislation and programs. If only they had been allowed to
> >do so at the end of 2007, a global miracle would have been born - a
> >real beacon of light !!!
>
> >A real beacon of light, especially when one considers the helpful and
> >democracy-building funding from outside agencies of the last 4 years,
> >thanks to credits and currencies from the USAID, the EU, the UN,
> >SECO/
> >SDC, the German government, et al, who have greatly helped make many
> >of the improvements the Georgians have desperately needed, after the
> >mayhem and ugly scenarios following the collapse of communism in this
> >nation.
>
> >Isn't this the nub of the conflict today, and a major cause of the
> >loss of public and international confidence in the current
> >Saakashvili
> >government? Aren't I correct?
>
> >Georgians themselves, excluding the ever and over and twice again
> >prospering current Members of Parliament, the normal members of the
> >legendary Family of Georgia are cut off at the knees from any kind of
> >truly democratic structures and planks and platforms, in nearly every
> >respect, in the current situation? Can anyone remember how
> >Shevardnadze reinstated most of his Parliament after he dismissed
> >them, more or less, can you dig out these events from the faded
> >memories of the past? How many key players in Saakashvili's clan
> >worked at one time [for quite a long while, indeed] on the monorail
> >of
> >Shevaradnadze's express train to disunity and oblivion and hunger?
> >Will not they simply repeat the same mistakes?
>
> >So we might conclude after an hour or two of productive thought on
> >this matter, [i.e., of a fresh and uncompromised Parliament], that
> >the
> >Georgian people were indeed deprived of a timely, and legal, and in-
> >their-favor, parliamentary election, in November of 2007, which
> >might
> >have brought about the promising guiding-light of fresh teams of
> >Georgian MBAs and MDs and Masters degree winners, coming back from
> >USA, UK, and Germany, the EU, et al.
>
> >Along with the principals and top teachers of Tbilisi and Kutaisi and
> >Batumi and Telavi schools, and Georgian physician-activists for the
> >desperately needed hospital care and health care here for the
> >struggling desperately people of Georgia, and along with them also
> >the
> >passionate property rights activists, and the grey panthers of
> >organized parties of disgruntled pensioners, and the many magnificent
> >and proud Georgians, which include displaced farmers from their
> >hectares who are being replaced by huge corporate conglomerate
> >automated farms, owned by many current MPs, these urgently needed new
> >MPs -- who could have stampeded into parliament as newly elected MPs
> >this new year, if just given the chance -- and that this imagined
> >truly democratic and model parliamentary election, could have come
> >into being at the most opportune time for the natives of this land,
> >late 2007, early 2008, consisting of the non-elite of Georgia
> >basically. They would have swept out most of Misha's MPs, and along
> >with them the bulk of old Shevaradnadze and Moscow-resonating fiddle
> >stringers too, who/which are frequently and deeply embedded in the
> >half-dozen or more, old and very tiresome Opposition parties here, as
> >time rolls on like tank treads?
>
> >These never recruited and never elected new MPs would have averted
> >the
> >hurried and hasty presidential elections of Jan. 5, 2008, and would
> >just as likely waited until a late 2008 election date to install
> >their
> >new president. By this time there would have been nearly a full year
> >of generous and hospitable Georgian debates, within a newly
> >transfigured Parliament, MPs most probably not in tune with Misha
> >during this hypothetical 2008 year's passing, and they would all have
> >had to agree and/or disagree with each other in a gentlemanly or
> >ladylike way, until end of 2008. Political pluralism would have
> >flowered like the Garden of Eden, and new and friendly coalitions
> >would have emerged [only in this scenario] and triumphed from the
> >basic reforms of Saakashvili's first two years.
>
> >These new and unheard of , but now lost to Georgia's better and
> >undiscovered destiny, these many freshly minted MPs could have TRULY
> >debated issues and policies and finances, rather than the mud
> >slinging
> >ejaculations and shout spasms we see today, and these angels of
> >democracy were in many aspects stolen from the garden of justice,
> >just
> >as its flowers were showing her firsts blossoms. These
> >hypothetical
> >MPs might have had the chance to vote in Parliament on the issues
> >TRULY important to THEM and to their constituents, and not just to
> >pocket USAID money for imported goods laden highways, nor toady up
> >to
> >the Pentagon's strategies for Georgia, nor kneel to the proponents of
> >Vladimir Putin, his inner team evidently NOT allies of Georgia, nor
> >would these ideal MPs have supported the old business ties to Russia
> >that are
>
> ...
>
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>
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