 | Bush Administration Policy Toward Caspian energy resources intransigent |
U.S. policy toward the Caspian and the development of energy resources in the region is not expected to change under the new administration of President George W. Bush, according to State Department official Elizabeth Jones.
"The fundamental work that we do is to provide and develop the economic and political backdrop against which these kinds of commercial projects can go forward," she said.
Ambassador Jones, the administration's senior advisor on Caspian Basin energy diplomacy and President Bush's nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, spoke to audiences in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey during an April 12 State Department interactive television broadcast. She answered questions on a range of issues affecting the transport of oil and natural gas from the Caspian to markets to the west.
The United States' position is 'anti-monopoly', Jones said, and believes any kind of large economic project like the Aktau-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline will be a stabilizing factor in the countries in which it is established.
On the status of the trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Jones said that, unfortunately, the project is "on hold" until Turkmenistan makes a decision on renewing discussions with Turkey. "We haven't closed the door on that possibility," she said, "but it's really up to Turkmenistan to move ahead when it sees fit."*
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Issue: April, 17, 2001
POLITICS
Another coup plotter detained in Russia
ECONOMICSExploratory drilling on Bank-Absheron coming upQuake relief work underwayBush Administration Policy Toward Caspian energy resources intransigentExcise stamps sent directly to manufacturers
CULTUREAzeri musicians to attend festival in China
SPORTAzeri Karate fighters win 9 medals
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