What we have achieved to this day is a sound and firm platform on which to build further
Giorgi Chanturia Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the President of Georgia President of the Georgian International Oil Corporation.
At this juncture in the mankind's history new priorities and values, common to all mankind, are increasingly coming to the fore. This, in many cases, presupposes adjustment of political and economic interests of a number of countries in a way that places considerable emphasis on the need for regional cooperation. Individual countries are increasingly looking at their future development through the prism of global perspective.
My country attaches a tremendous importance to for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Main Export Oil Pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum South-Caucasus Gas Pipeline (SCP) projects. We feel certain that their realization will bring countries of our region into the limelight of the West's geopolitical and geo-strategic interests, together with giving them a much firmer footing in the international community. One can safely say therefore that these projects are, in effect, the most important milestone in the history of the statehood of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia over the recent decades.
The SCP gas pipeline is of special importance for Georgia as it affords my country an alternative source of natural gas supply and ends Georgia's sole dependence upon one single source. We see the SCP gas pipeline as a unique opportunity for us to overcome the present difficulties, including the current energy crisis, and revive our economy.
The fact of East-West Energy Corridor projects development is, in itself, an indication of their greatest geopolitical, strategic and commercial significance. The first Azerbaijani oil was moved to Georgia via a pipeline over a century ago. However, our present pipeline projects have acquired dramatically new implications, as well as a much larger scale.
But it took a great deal of painstaking work to get where we are now. In the early 90's of last century, when the first discussions about the pipelines were only just starting, the dire political and economic situation across the region posed a great threat to implementation of any large project. In addition, the lack of essential experience and no adequate legal framework, together with certain, well-known, geo-political implications, unwelcome by certain stakeholders - cast a serious doubt on actual realization of these projects.
The East-West Energy Corridor projects are in effect, the result of initiatives for the Ancient Silk Road revival and an expedited development of the Eurasian Corridor, set forth by the Presidents of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
President Heydar Aliyev's decision in favor of the western route for the transportation of Azerbaijani oil meant a major breakthrough for Georgia. Given the strong political pressure and a difficult situation I mentioned earlier, this was by no means a simple decision to make, but rather, a daring and steadfast expression of President Aliyev's unwavering political will. A courageous move. For this Georgia's gratitude to President Aliyev and the Azerbaijani people is profound and everlasting.
In this context, the inestimable role and contribution of the United States of America and President George Bush, personally, in the promotion of the East-West Energy Corridor development - one of the most ambitious projects now under way - deserves particular mention. We feel confident, that the Corridor will serve a powerful guarantee of a peaceful and secure development of the South-East European countries.
Of special mention is the role Turkey, and its present and former leaders, have played in developing and implementing the strategy for the East-West Corridor development. Turkey has been doing its utmost to support the process. Turkey's unprecedented decisions, together with the corresponding follow-up measures, serve a brilliant illustration of its full commitment to these projects. Being a leading power in the region, Turkey has been giving consistent support to both Georgia and Azerbaijan with all project-related matters. All of this, naturally, is most inspiring, as well as conducive to a beneficial regional cooperation between our countries, - an excellent suit to follow by other countries and regions.
Of particular mention is the role and stance the international oil companies have taken up in the process of pipeline development. To their credit, and luckily for us, the numerous problems in the region did not ward them off. Having overcome the difficulties, the oil companies are now forging ahead together with the transit countries, moving at a rapid and consistent pace. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank these oil companies and their leaders once again for the their cooperation, resolve, and unstinting support.
One should mention here that our first common victory along this road has been the Baku-Supsa early oil pipeline. I have said it many times and will say again: had it not been for Baku-Supsa, no Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project would have been possible.
The Baku-Supsa pipeline construction in Georgia was carried out under the personal coordination of the President of Georgia, as will the BTC and BTE projects. It was owing to the success of this first project that prospects for BTC MEP and BTE projects figured so prominently within a very short span of time. In many respects, Georgia's involvement in the Baku-Supsa project implementation has been its way to state to the world loud and clear that Georgia is ready and willing to host and participate in large-scale transnational projects. In our country, these projects will be implemented in full conformity to the internationally accepted norms and practices, and in an open and transparent manner.
Obviously, not all are keen on the development course Georgia has taken up. The reactionary forces bend over backwards to discredit it in the eyes of the world community. They are also doing their utmost to destabilize the country internally. They wage a never-ending information war against Georgia - resorting to all sorts of allegations and slander. However, the most alarming and disconcerting examples of their activity are the barbaric terrorist attempts they committed both against the President of Azerbaijan and the President of Georgia.
Nonetheless, even the most persevering opponents are forced to admit now that the East-West Energy Corridor development has now reached a non-return point, and that the pipeline projects are going at a full pace and according to schedules.
To maintain this momentum, it is imperative that we continue and expand our cooperation for implementation of the East-West Energy Corridor projects, as well as strive together to create a transparent environment in our region, attractive for investment.
Indeed, provision of transparency and openness in the course of realization of these projects is an essential element of success, as is observance of the relevant international environmental, social and technical standards and active involvement of public institutions, non-governmental organizations and mass media in a comprehensive monitoring at every stage of their development.
This need to cooperate acquired an added significance following the tragic events of September 11. I am sure, the participants will agree with me that this terrible tragedy alerted the world not only to the need to act as a unified front against terrorism but also to work and build a peaceful world together.
We, Georgians, are deeply thankful to the US Administration and American nation for their unwavering support and the efforts they are putting in helping us consolidate our country's independent statehood. We feel confident this cooperation and support will continue. Provision of energy corridor security is one of the imperatives of such cooperation. It is therefore, very logical that "Georgia - Train and Equip" program should incorporate the pipeline protection and security training as one of its essential elements. All of this will afford Georgia better chances for a speedier integration into the Euro-Atlantic space. And, we are already moving in this direction.
We firmly believe that the East-West Energy Corridor projects will set up firm guarantees for a peaceful and sustainable development of the region, as well as open up new vistas for regional cooperation between the Caspian and Black Sea countries and their full-fledged integration into the international community. Constructive cooperation is a powerful, if the only, lever to keep the world away from confrontation. Countries of our region, our Presidents, have made their contribution to this process by setting forth a number of initiatives, such as "Peaceful Caucasus", "East-West and Eurasian Corridor", "Restoration of the Great Silk Road", and "The Common Economic Space from Vancouver to Vladivostok". It is gratifying to see some of these projects already implemented, and others - being actively developed now.
Proceeding from the principles of regional cooperation, we think it essential that Kazakhstan participates more actively in the East-West corridor energy projects. In effect, this process has already started as certain foreign oil companies operating in Kazakhstan have already joined the BTC project. I think we all should work more actively to make further progress in this direction.
Likewise, Ukraine could have a very important role to play in the transportation of Caspian oil and gas. Together with securing a much higher degree of its energy security, Ukraine could have a much more important function as a transit country for the transportation of hydrocarbons onto Europe's markets. This is yet another issue on which we could, and should, work together.
And lastly, the East-West Common Energy Corridor projects are by no means directed against the interests of any country. I am pleased to note that Russia has also started to appreciate this reality. Naturally, we need to build our cooperation in a way that would encourage all countries, including Russia, to participate in the East-West Common Energy Corridor projects. I am sure, we all understand fully the positive role Russia can play in the regional cooperation.
Given the present developments, it would be safe to say that we have made an impressive progress in bringing our projects to a more advanced stage. But there is still a lot of work ahead of us. In effect, what we have achieved to this day is a sound and firm platform on which to build further. To this common goal Georgia, and GIOC, will remain fully committed.