Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BAKU810
2008-08-27 06:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
FOREIGN MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN PRESSING FOR A
how-toVZCZCXRO9387 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHKB #0810 2400613 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 270613Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5896 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 2963 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE IMMEDIATE 1069 RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000810
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2018
TAGS: ENRG PREL TR TX AJ
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN PRESSING FOR A
DIRECT GAS PURCHASE DEAL BETWEEN TURKEY AND TURKMENISTAN
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000810
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2018
TAGS: ENRG PREL TR TX AJ
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN PRESSING FOR A
DIRECT GAS PURCHASE DEAL BETWEEN TURKEY AND TURKMENISTAN
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) In an August 26 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that President Ilham Aliyev
on August 20 had encouraged Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to
sign a direct agreement with Turkmenistan to purchase gas at
Turkmenistan's border. This proposal follows a similar
discussion with Turkish President Gul at Kars, Turkey in
July. Mammadyarov said that once such an agreement was
completed, the Turks could then separately work out a transit
deal with Azerbaijan. Erdogan reportedly replied that he
needed more time to study the proposal. The Foreign Minister
said that Azerbaijan would like to discuss U.S. views on how
to advance this proposal with Special Envoy Boyden Gray and
Energy Coordinator Steve Mann during their visit to Baku on
September 8-9.
2. (C) Commenting more generally on the Turkmen President,
Mammadyarov remarked, "He's turning out to be another
Turkmenbashi. He's repeating the path of his predecessor."
He said that no serious oil company will work with the
Turkmen to extract energy from the Serder/Kapaz field without
agreement from Azerbaijan. He added that Azerbaijan had
successfully turned away attempts by LukOil and a Canadian
firm seeking to exploit this field. He said that he had
earlier proposed joint exploitation begin without a final
decision on delimitation. He argued that in this case
Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan could take advantage of existing
Azeri infrastructure in the Caspian rather than investing
billions in new infrastructure. Turkmen President
Berdimukhamedov, however, appears to be "following the wrong
path" in this regard, according to Mammadyarov.
3. (C) The Foreign Minister echoed President Aliyev's
complaints (septel) about the Turkmen threatening legal
action against Azerbaijan over Azerbaijan's claims on the
Serder/Kapaz and Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil and gas fields.
"It's a ridiculous waste of their money. I've seen the
documents myself and they cannot win. Moreover, we would not
respect the authority of any court on this issue,"
Mammadyarov remarked.
4. (C) Finally, the Foreign Minister noted that he believes
that the Iranians are preparing to move their Alborz offshore
drilling platform. (Note: This platform may be moved into
or near territorial waters claimed by both Azerbaijan and
Iran.) He said that his government had information that two
ships which were large enough to tow the platform out to sea
have been seen around the platform, but that the platform had
not yet been moved. He added that Iran had built these two
ships themselves specifically to provide the capacity to move
offshore platforms.
DERSE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2018
TAGS: ENRG PREL TR TX AJ
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN PRESSING FOR A
DIRECT GAS PURCHASE DEAL BETWEEN TURKEY AND TURKMENISTAN
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) In an August 26 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that President Ilham Aliyev
on August 20 had encouraged Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to
sign a direct agreement with Turkmenistan to purchase gas at
Turkmenistan's border. This proposal follows a similar
discussion with Turkish President Gul at Kars, Turkey in
July. Mammadyarov said that once such an agreement was
completed, the Turks could then separately work out a transit
deal with Azerbaijan. Erdogan reportedly replied that he
needed more time to study the proposal. The Foreign Minister
said that Azerbaijan would like to discuss U.S. views on how
to advance this proposal with Special Envoy Boyden Gray and
Energy Coordinator Steve Mann during their visit to Baku on
September 8-9.
2. (C) Commenting more generally on the Turkmen President,
Mammadyarov remarked, "He's turning out to be another
Turkmenbashi. He's repeating the path of his predecessor."
He said that no serious oil company will work with the
Turkmen to extract energy from the Serder/Kapaz field without
agreement from Azerbaijan. He added that Azerbaijan had
successfully turned away attempts by LukOil and a Canadian
firm seeking to exploit this field. He said that he had
earlier proposed joint exploitation begin without a final
decision on delimitation. He argued that in this case
Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan could take advantage of existing
Azeri infrastructure in the Caspian rather than investing
billions in new infrastructure. Turkmen President
Berdimukhamedov, however, appears to be "following the wrong
path" in this regard, according to Mammadyarov.
3. (C) The Foreign Minister echoed President Aliyev's
complaints (septel) about the Turkmen threatening legal
action against Azerbaijan over Azerbaijan's claims on the
Serder/Kapaz and Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil and gas fields.
"It's a ridiculous waste of their money. I've seen the
documents myself and they cannot win. Moreover, we would not
respect the authority of any court on this issue,"
Mammadyarov remarked.
4. (C) Finally, the Foreign Minister noted that he believes
that the Iranians are preparing to move their Alborz offshore
drilling platform. (Note: This platform may be moved into
or near territorial waters claimed by both Azerbaijan and
Iran.) He said that his government had information that two
ships which were large enough to tow the platform out to sea
have been seen around the platform, but that the platform had
not yet been moved. He added that Iran had built these two
ships themselves specifically to provide the capacity to move
offshore platforms.
DERSE