RUSSIAN PRESIDENT AND "LUKOIL" HEAD DISCUSSED RUSSIAN COMPANIES' PARTICIPATION IN BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

PanARMENIAN.Net - Today the leaders of "Lukoil" and "Transneft" Russian companies will meet with representatives of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan. The latters will try to convince them in economical attractiveness of the project of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline construction. In the words of "Lukoil" President Vahit Alekperov, the decision whether to participate in the project or not can be made after that. At the same time Alekperov stressed the company board will co-ordinate the final decision with the Russian Government. As it is known, Russian State Duma Committee for CIS affairs has appeared with an initiative to ban Russian oil companies' participation in building Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Victor Kalyuzhniy announced the other day that the country foreign department seconded the initiative, as in his words, construction of a pipeline, which will exclude Russian territory, is at variance with the political and economic interests of Russia. It is known that yesterday President Vladimir Putin received Vahit Alekperov. There are reports that expediency of Russian companies' participation in realization of the oil project in Azerbaijan was discussed among other questions.