CENN – MARCH 29, 2004 DAILY DIGEST
Table of Contents:
1. Environmental Investment Program
2. Six Tones of Seeds Gathered along BTC Pipeline
3. BP Invests $ 4.1 bn in Azerbaijan in 2003
4. Botas to Finish Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum Pipeline on Time
5. New Laboratories Open to Control Food Quality
6. Armenian Ministry Denies Reports of “Security Measures” in Nuclear
Plant
7. Yerevan Realizes Anti-Russian Gas Project
8. Director of the Center for Pluralism `Inam’ Vahid Gazi Conducted a
Number of Meetings Last Week
9. Summer Course in Environmental Justice at University of Wisconsin
1. ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM
BTC Co has developed an Environmental Investment Program for the three
countries, to go beyond reduction of ecological impacts and bring
additional benefits by supporting projects for the promotion and
conservation of biodiversity with the principles of capacity building /
technology transfer; sustainability; tangible impacts and linkages with
other relevant initiatives.
The program is focused on the protection and conservation of rare and
endangered species and also on ecologically important areas. In Turkey,
ecologically sustainable enterprise projects (ESEP) will be developed as
an integral part of most projects and also under a separate key theme
named small grants program. ESEPs are ecology focused income generation
component of the program that support the sustainability of the program
objectives, and also serve to NGO capacity building and to community
needs. Click here for information on the EIP.
Stakeholder dialogue has enabled the identification of key priority
themes for funding under the EIP. Projects for each theme are identified
through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process calling for submissions
under the key priority themes. The first proposal tranche was advertised
in 2003 and proposals evaluated according to pre-set criteria. More
projects will be funded the same way starting from 2004. The EIP budget
allocated for Turkey is US $ 3.3 million to be disbursed to
organizations, in the form of grants.
The RFP process undertaken in 2003 allowed for identification of five
projects for support. Two additional projects are currently under review
and may be awarded in the near future if they demonstrate compliance
with all the required criteria. See `Projects’ menu for information on
the EIP Projects supported by BTC Co
BTC Co’s role is to manage the EIP, including the funds, program
monitoring and communications with interested stakeholders. BTC Co is
also responsible for liaison with the implementing partners including
monitoring of project execution and provision of support and training
for the partners
BTC News Bulletin, March 26 2004
2. SIX TONS OF SEEDS GATHERED ALONG BTC PIPELINE
On recommendation of Azerbaijan biologists, 6 tons of wild plants seeds
were gathered along the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. These seeds
will be used for restoration of previous plant cover on the territories;
the pipeline passes through, stated representatives of the Institute of
Biology of NAS. The work will be realized by CCIC Company – Bp
contactor.
AzerTag, March 27, 2004
3. BP INVESTS $ 4.1 BN IN AZERBAIJAN IN 2003
Investment in BP projects in Azerbaijan, including the
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli and Shah Deniz fields and the construction of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, amounted to $ 4.1 bn in 2003, Azer
Zeinalov, director of the BP Baku business center, said at a meeting of
the Caspian Integration Business Club. Of this amount, $ 3.9 bn was
spent on orders from subcontractors, including $ 350 mm — from
Azerbaijani companies.
“Foreign subcontractors that do not operate in Azerbaijan carried out $
1.7 bn worth of orders and foreign companies working in the republic —
$ 1.8 bn, of which $ 800 mm was spent in republic and $ 1 bn — outside
Azerbaijan,” Zeinalov said.
He said that small and mid-sized Azerbaijani companies carried out $ 48
mm worth of orders, state companies — $ 116 mm, and joint ventures — $
191 mm. Zeinalov also said that at the moment over 500 companies provide
subcontractor services for BP projects, of which over 300 are domestic
companies and 200 — foreign companies.
EIN News, March 26, 2004
4. BOTAS TO FINISH BAKU-TBILISI-ERZURUM PIPELINE ON TIME
Turkish state pipeline company Botas plans to complete the Turkish
section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline on time.
“The Turkish side is able to build its section of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline on time, so gas supplies from the Shah
Deniz field will begin in 2006-2007, as expected,” stated
representatives of the Botas head office in Ankara. Participants in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project said that bad weather in Turkey is delaying
construction work on the Turkish section of that pipeline. As a result,
experts said that the construction delays may push back the launch date
for the pipeline, which would in turn lead to delays for the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline.
The two pipelines are being built in one corridor, using the same
construction resources. Therefore, construction of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline can only begin once the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is completed. The Botas source said that “at the
moment research work is continuing for the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline
project and no deviation from schedule is expected.”
According to plan, the capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, which
stretches 225 km in Turkey, will amount to 30 bn cmpy, Reserves at the
Shah Deniz field are estimated at 625 bn cm of gas and 101 mm tons of
gas condensate. Shareholders in the project to develop the Shah Deniz
field include BP — 25.5 %, Statoil — 25.5 %, LUKAgip — 10 %,
TotalFinaElf — 10 %, SOCAR — 10 %, National Iranian Oil Company — 10
% and TPAO — 9 %.
EIN News, March 26, 2004
5. NEW LABORATORIES OPEN TO CONTROL FOOD QUALITY
According to the information provided through the Ministry of Economic
Development, arbitrary laboratory for technical, chemical, toxicological
and microbiological analysis is functioned at the consumer goods
examination center.
Laboratories equipped with up-to-date technology and devices were opened
in Nakhchivan and Ganja- Gazakh towns.
Laboratory on control food and grains products quality will be created
in Jalilabad region. It will be equipped with up-to-date technology
delivered from Russia, Turkey and Germany.
Another laboratory for food analysis will be opened in Guba-Khachmaz
region, which to play particular role in providing ecologically pure
foodstuff products meeting the international norms of hygiene.
AzrTag, March 27, 2004
6. ARMENIAN MINISTRY DENIES REPORTS OF “SECURITY MEASURES” IN NUCLEAR
PLANT
The press service of the Ministry of Energy of Armenia has denied rumors
in the press that extraordinary security measures have been taken on the
Armenian Nuclear Power Station since the middle of the last week.
The press service of the Ministry stated that the Armenian Nuclear Power
Station would be refueled again in summer.
Noyan Tapan News Agency, March 25, 2004
7. YEREVAN REALIZES ANTI-RUSSIAN GAS PROJECT
On March 23, 2004 Armenian Minister of Electric Energy Armen Movsiyan
announced at a session of the country s Government that Iran-Armenia
pipeline which construction is planned to be finished in the beginning
of 2005 will be prolonged through the Georgian territory, than by the
bottom of the Black Sea to Ukraine and then to Western Europe. Thus, the
gas of Iran and Turkmenistan will be supplied to countries of the EU
passing Russia. As a result the Russian budget will lose several billion
dollars every year. So, the most reliable partner of Russia in the
Caucasus Armenia is realizing what the US has not been able to do: it
creates an alternative route of gas export from Central Asia to the
West.
RIA OREANDA, March 25, 2004
8. DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PLURALISM `INAM’ VAHID GAZI CONDUCTED A
NUMBER OF MEETINGS LAST WEEK
Vahid Gazi met with an American independent expert Pam Flowers arrived
in Azerbaijan with the goal of getting acquainted with NGOs and activity
principles of NGOs in the framework of the project of BP titled
`Increasing of abilities in a civic society’. In the course of the
meeting Vahid Gazi informed the guest on nine-year activity of the
Center, as well the situation of civic society in the country, and news
in this sphere. Exchange of opinion took place on the activities could
be done by BP in the field of development of democracy and civic society
and recommendations were given related this issue.
On March 25 Vahid Gazi met in `Inam”s office with the representative of
International Church Organization for Development and Cooperation in
Holland Lisette Vandervel. Discussions concerning social and political
situation in the country, problems of democracy and civic society, local
NGOs and their activities, as well the perspectives of participation of
public organizations in solution of Garabagh conflict took place during
the meeting. The questions that interested the representative of the
organization beginning new activity in Azerbaijan were responded.
On March 26 the executive director of Human Rights House Foundation of
Norway Mrs. Maria Dahle visited the Center for Pluralism `Inam’. Mrs.
Dahle wishing to create `Human Rights’ House in our country interested
in `Inam’ opportunities in assisting to foundation of this House. Mrs.
Dahle noted about discussions to be held also with other public bodies
and state organs and informed that such bodies have been set up up to
date in Russia, Belarus, Turkey, Poland, Norway and other countries.
Vahid Gazi expressed that this initiative will be met with great
interest in society and the activity of this body will contribute
greatly to enlightenment in the sphere of human rights in the country.
Inam Center for Pluralism
9. SUMMER COURSE IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
June 21 – July 11,2004
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Three-Week Summer Field Course for College Students and High School
Teachers
A course for college students and high school teachers to examine major
societal concerns:
§ environmental protection
§ public health
§ social justice
§ race and poverty
The environment is where we live, work and play; justice involves making
environmental decisions democratically and with community empowerment.
In this three-week, three-credit summer class we examine issues that lie
at the intersection of major societal concerns regarding social justice,
environmental protection, and health. Approximately half of the class
days consist of field trips to communities in Wisconsin and Chicago that
are impacted by landfills, sewage treatment plants, and industrial
facilities; some of these are Superfund sites.
Classroom days will be devoted to readings, videos, and discussions,
which ill cover the history of the environmental justice movement and
its connections to the civil rights and anti-toxics movements; case
histories covering political, legal, economic, scientific, and health
aspects; critical evaluation of demographic and socioeconomic evidence
for inequitable location of hazardous waste sites; global environmental
justice; and the future of the environmental justice movement.
All participants will keep a journal. High school teachers and regular
college students will team to develop a curriculum unit in their area of
expertise.
Course readings include Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental
Quality; From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the
Environmental Justice Movement; Ecocide of Native America; Garbage Wars;
Tilting at Mills; Exporting Harm.
Instructor: Professor Herb Wang
Enrollment begins March 29
New reentry and continuing UW-Madison students will be notified of
summer enrollment times. The schedule is also published in the
UW-Madison Summer Bulletin Register for Institute for Environmental
Studies 400 or College of Letters and Science Interdisciplinary Studies
400.
For more information
Contact:Professor Herb Wang
Department of Geology and Geophysics
1215 W.Dayton St.
Madison,WI 53706-1692
E-mail [email protected]
Phone 608/262-5932;
Web site
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Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
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