S Korean company to aid clearance of oil-polluted land

South Korean representatives are due to visit Azerbaijan on April 21 to mull a project on clearing the oil-polluted areas in the Absheron Peninsula, a wide area encompassing the capital Baku.

The announcement was made by Minister of Energy and Industry Natig Aliyev while hosting a Korean delegation headed by the vice-president of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Janh Se-Cheong on Wednesday.

An agreement on launching the project is to be signed during a visit by the Korean prime minister to Azerbaijan due May 18.

Issues concerning energy cooperation with KOICA were discussed at the meeting as well. Realization of another project jointly with the Korean company aims to reduce the losses incurred in the energy system and ensure efficient use of energy resources. Allocation of a land plot by the Baku electricity network BakiElektrikShebeke to implement a pilot project on loss prevention is under consideration.

The Azerbaijani government is also in talks with the Korean side on jointly implementing such projects as creating a special economic zone, building small hydro-power plants and exploring natural resources in the Talysh Mountains.*