BAKU HOSTS MEETING OF CIS ENERGY COUNCIL
At the meeting, participants of which were representatives of 9 CIS countries and as the observer, Iran, 16 questions have been discussed, many of which concerned parallel and transit cooperation, and also questions of forming an integrated power grid on space of Commonwealth. Besides, discussed were questions of interaction of the energy departments of CIS and Europe.
Speaking at the meeting, chairman of board of the Russian Open Society "United Power Systems", Russia, Anatoly Chubays has noted importance of the action and has expressed hope for positive results. He has noted that after the Dushanbe meeting of CIS EC, there were a number of important events connected to work of national power supply systems. At A. Chubays's words, the primary goal of energy departments is maximal data exchange, representing mutual interest.
The first vice-premier of Azerbaijan Yagub Eyyubov, on behalf of the government of the country has congratulated all participants of meeting, having noted that a stable political situation in Republic, consecutive development of all branches of economy and increase of social standard of living of the population promoted the organization to host in Baku such responsible forum. As he said, the interstate association CIS EC, completely justifies its applicability, precisely coordinates activity of national power supply systems of Commonwealth. As has noted Yagub Eyyubov, it is especially pleasant to speak about it today, on the eve of professional holiday of energy workers for the first time being marked in Azerbaijan - Day of Energy Workers, founded on the Decree of the President of Republic.
Having welcomed participants of the meeting, the executive secretary of Commonwealth Vladimir Rushailo has noted the demand and efficiency of its decisions. He has especially noted that for years of independent, development Azerbaijan has reached great successes in social and economic development, the beginning of which was laid by the national leader of Azerbaijan people, President Heydar Aliyev.
Azerbaijan is one of few states of CIS, possessing advanced fuel and energy complex, significant resources of oil and natural gas, sufficient both for maintenance of internal needs, and for export, he said.
At V. Rushailo's words, during all the previous history, the electric power industry of Azerbaijan developed intensively and by present time the power supply system of the country is the most powerful and advanced in region of the Southern Caucasus. It is well known that power is attached special attention in development of economy of each country. Global character of power problems, priority position in fuel and energy and mineral-raw complexes put forward the power factor in number of basic elements of cooperation of the CIS countries. Development of fuel and energy complex also is one of the major elements in creation of free trade zone within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Speaking at the meeting, president of "Azerenergy" Joint-Stock Company (JSC) Etibar Pirverdiyev has noted that as a result of the reforms started in 1999 in the energy sector, the distributive companies have been handed to long-term management. These and other reforms have allowed lifting the level of payment for use of the electric power from 10 percent in 1999 up to 44 percent this year.
Unfortunately, because of occupation by Armenia of the 20 percent of the Republic’s territory and presence in our country of more than one million refugees, is not obviously possible to carry out more tough policy in the question of payment. As has noted E. Pirverdiyev, for the same reason, Azerbaijan could not increase tariffs for the electric power, which are one of the lowest among the CIS countries. He also has emphasized that due to the achieved stability and conducted economic reforms in the country, steady economic growth is observed.
Then, discussions on the questions on the agenda have taken place.
Participants of the meeting decided to prolong powers of Anatoly Chubays for one more year.
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