PIPELINE SECURITY TO BE INCREASED
David Woodward, president of British Petroleum Azerbaijan, met Friday with Acting Georgian President Nino Burdzhanadze, State Minister Zurab Zhvaniya and the newly elected president of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili. Speaking after the meeting, Woodward told journalists that he and the leaders of Georgia reviewed the progress of construction on the Georgia leg of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil-export pipeline and related security matters.
He said the new Georgian leadership entirely backs construction of the pipeline. He also said work was proceeding on schedule and meeting quality standards as, he said, pipeline security arrangements do, too. Woodward noted, however, that private companies would be brought in to bolster pipeline security, currently under the exclusive care of Georgian government agencies. Woodward also said all outstanding questions pertaining to the financing of pipeline construction would be fully resolved in early February.
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