The “Energy resources of the Caspian and interests of Europe” international scientific symposium was held in Berlin on 10-11 November. The Symposium, organized by the German Fredric Ebert Fund was supported y the German government, Center of Eastern European Studies of Europe (Germany) and Institute of internationals policy and policy of security of (Germany).

At the 2-day Symposium were held comprehensive discussions on the topics “The Caspian basin: geo-political factors of the interests of Europe”, “The Caspian basin: resources, their production and transportation”, “Bases of the interests of Europe”, “Interests of the Caspian littoral states”, “Interests of the states of region – Russia, Turkey, Iran”, “Interests of the US in the Caspian region”, “Interests of the European Union in the energy sector of the Caspian”, “Export of the energy carriers and prospects of the development of cooperation with countries of the Caspian region” and “The Caspian region – crossroads of numerous interests”, analyzed development of the Caspian region, development of hydrocarbon resources of the basin with the participation of foreign companies, inter-state commerce, issues of mutual cooperation and partnership in technical and ecological spheres, ways of secure transportation of oil and natural gas through the terminals to the world market.

Participants of the Symposium also answered the question: “Will the efficiency of the pipeline go down if Kazakhstan join the BTC MEP?” addressed to them who confirm that BTC MEP is an unpromising route, is expensive, and that there is no sufficient oil I n Azerbaijan for operation of the MEP in full capacity. Representatives of interests of the Caspian coastal states – staff member of Azerbaijan representation at the European Union Anar Jahangirli, representative of Georgia on realization of the BTC MEP in the territory of Georgia Georgiy Vasakmadze and representative of Kazakhstan Birgit Bawer unequivocally stated that the pipeline Kazakhstan-Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan would have two systems, that there has been already reached an agreement on its support by the companies, producing oil in Kazakhstan, and set up conditions for transportation of their oil via this pipeline. The cooperating sides came to a common decision that for support of the sides, transporting oil through this pipeline is necessary recognition by both sides of the concluded agreements and terms. Along the negotiations with the transit countries, investors, cargo suppliers, the international financial organizations in the process of choice of the MEP were agreed a series of questions, including political risks.

In respond to the question of Symposium participants, “Whether can the last scandals around the company UCOS of Khodorovsky negatively affect the oil transportation routes starting in Azerbaijan?” Anar Jahangirli stated that it has nothing with Azerbaijan, so that there are no private monopolies in Azerbaijan, oil belongs to the state and people. Participant of the Symposium, ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan Mr. Clause Grewlich supported these words, underlining that the oil revenues are spent for the welfare of the country and people, and that he has no doubt that the BTC MEP would operate in full capacity.