Azerbaijan to submit answers to WTO questions until end of January

Azerbaijan to submit answers to WTO questions until end of January

Azerbaijan to submit to WTO answers to next questions of WTO members until end of January.

The Azerbaijani government continues the process of negotiations within the frames of process of reception by the country of full membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Makhmud Mammadguliyev informed that preparation of answers to the questions, which members of working group for Azerbaijan had  after the round of multilateral negotiations with WTO, took place in July, 2009, was finished practically at present.

“The answers will be presented to the WTO Secretariat until the end of January. As the result, we will have theoretical opportunity to hold a next meeting of the working group as early as in March- April.

Bilateral negotiations with members of WTO should precede it,” M. Mammadguliyev said.

The Azerbaijani government hopes that it will   succeed in conducting the next event with WTO early 2010.

On July 21-22, bipartite negotiations were held on WTO membership conditions with the United States and the European Union. On July 23, negotiations concerning issues of internal support of farm producers took place and involved reps of the US, Canada, Australia, Turkey, other countries and the European Commission. In them Azerbaijan presented Table ACC/4.

Azerbaijan appreciated positively the first round of multilateral negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on inner support of agriculture, took place in Geneva on 23 June.

A meeting considered presented by Azerbaijan the table on inner support of agriculture on the basis of date for 2005-2007, which the WTO members did not remark, but asked to specify some issues.

Today, the issue on privileges, which the county will gain on “yellow’ basket of inner subsidization, becomes important. Referring itself to developing countries, Azerbaijan will claim for level of subsidies not less than 10% of goods cost of agriculture production.  In addition, the country can rely on definite amount of AMC subsidies. In the government’s opinion, this sum could be more, than now. The country informed WTO of its position concerning this issue and expects reaction from its members.

Since 1997, Azerbaijan has observer status at WTO.

TRACECA announces big projects for 2010

TRACECA announces big projects for 2010

TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia), international transport program has unveiled the major projects to be implemented in 2010.

The projects include construction of the new Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and Baku International Trade Seaport, logistics center.

The action plan also highlights air and railway security, drop in transport tariffs.

The international program will embark on two more projects in 2011. Introduction of new standards in the air and sea transport is one of these projects.

Technical projects will be followed by a number of huge investment programs.

The largest ones will be realized in Azerbaijan. The European Commission has already set aside ?15 million to fund these projects.

A total of 60 projects worth ?160 million are planned to be implemented in the TRACECA member countries.

1.9 million tons of Kazakh oil transported via BTC pipeline in 2009

1.9 million tons of Kazakh oil transported via BTC pipeline in 2009

Transportation of Kazakh oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) launched in Oct. 2008 stabilized in Dec. 2009.

The Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee (SSC) said Kazakh oil transportation via BTC pipeline totaled about 1.8 million tons in Jan.-Nov. 2009.

In Dec., 175,300 tons were transported compared to 188,700 tons in Nov., 187,300 tons in Oct., 100,000 tons in Sept., 200,000 tons in Aug., 92,300 tons in July, 152,900 in June, 163,000 tons in May, 137,700 tons in April, 152,800 tons in March, 240,200 tons in February and 161,100 tons in Jan. 2009.

“From Oct. 2008 to 1 Jan. 2008, Kazakh oil transit via BTC pipeline totaled 2.2 million tons,” it was reported.

In Oct.-Dec. 2008, Kazakh oil transit via BTC pipeline totaled 285,100 tons.

36.2 million tons of Azerbaijani oil transported via BTC in 2009

36.2 million tons of Azerbaijani oil transported via BTC in 2009

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) has renewed statistical data on Azerbaijani oil export via the major pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) named after Heydar Aliyev.

SOCAR said that 2.8 million tons of Azeri oil was delivered via BTC to Turkey’s Ceyhan port in Dec. 2009.

“In 2009, transport of Azerbaijani oil totaled 36.2 million tons,” SOCAR said.

Roughly 106.5 million tons were supplied via BTC to Ceyhan port of Turkey since the pipeline was launched.

BTC transportation totaled 3.1 million tons in March,  a little less than 3 million tons in April, 3.3 million tons in May, 3.3 million in June, 3.193 million tons in July, 3.28 million tons in Aug.,  3.07 million tons in Sept., 3.2 million tons in Oct. and 2.9 million tons in Nov.

Azerbaijan launches gas export to Russia on January 1, 2010

Azerbaijan launches gas export to Russia on January 1, 2010

Azerbaijan has launched natural gas export to Russia from 11.00am on January 1, 2010.

Head of Gas Export Department of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), and Qasan Abdurrakhmanov , Deputy Director of Dagestan Regional Office of Russia’s Gazprom attended the ceremony to launch export in bordering Shirvanovka village in Gusar region of Azerbaijan. Gas will be exported via the Mozdok-Gazmammad pipeline.

Kamal Abbasov told that under the agreement, Azerbaijan will pump at least 500 million cubic meters of gas a year at the initial phase, with supplies expected to increase to 1 billion cubic meters a year soon in the future. The probability of further increase is not ruled out either.

On October 14, Rovnag Abdullayev, President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), and Alexei Miller, chief executive of Gazprom of Russia, have today signed an agreement on the export of Azeri gas to Russia.
According to the agreement, the price will be based on a special formula which Azerbaijan said “is normal and suits us”.

Gazprom to purchase as much gas as Azerbaijani side can supply

Gazprom to purchase as much gas as Azerbaijani side can supply

Last year we managed to hold constructive negotiations with the Azerbaijani counterparts, chairman of Gazprom said.

The beginning of 2010 was marked by a very important event- for the first time Gazprom started to purchase natural gas in Azerbaijan, said chairman of the gas concern Alexei Miller, according to the official website for Gazprom.

“Last year we managed to hold constructive negotiations with the Azerbaijani counterparts and the gas entered our system within just several months after signing the contract”, Miller said.

He noted that he had no doubts that these agreements will be reached.

“Gazprom offered more competitive provisions of gas supplies in Azerbaijan, as we have everything for this: the border between our countries and the working gas transportation infrastructure”, said he.

According to Miller, the specific feature of the signed contract is that the upper margin of gas purchase has not yet been set.

“We will purchase as much as the Azerbaijani side will be able to supply. There are not such provisions in any other agreement of Gazprom which proves the high level of our partner relations”, Miller noted.