PRESSURE EXERTED ON GEORGIAN SIDE WHEN SIGNING PAPERS ON BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE BUILDINGDecember 3, 2002 - 18:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Georgian minister of ecology Nino Chkhobadze has confessed that representatives of British Petroleum Azerbaijan company, which is the operator of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, had exerted pressure on the Georgian party when working out the ecological documents necessary for beginning the building of the Georgian segment of the oil pipeline. As reported by "Arminfo" agency, the minister noted at a press conference in Tbilisi that pressure had been put not only upon her, but also upon Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze participating in the talks. At the same time the minister reported that owing to Shevardnadze's stand conditions were laid down to be fulfilled by the investors before beginning the construction works. Nino Chkhobadze noted that permanent monitoring of the fulfillment of those conditions would be held, being financed by a special World Bank credit. Let us remind that yesterday the Georgian government signed an agreement permitting the beginning of the building of the Georgian segment of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Top stories The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Yerevan City Council has elected Tigran Avniyan from the ruling Civil Contract as the mayor of the Armenian capital. The Armenian Parliament on Tuesday, October 3 voted to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Partner news | U.S. reacts to Russia’s criticism of upcoming Armenia-EU-U.S. meeting Matthew Miller has weighed in on Russia’s criticism of an upcoming Armenia-EU-U.S. meeting. Lavrov sees ‘collapse’ of Russia’s ties with Armenia Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has underscored heightened tensions between Russia and Armenia. Russia clarifying reports on Baku’s alleged arms supply to Ukraine Russia says is carefully working to verify reports about alleged arms supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine Russia warns Armenia against “falling into West’s trap” Zakharova maintained, however, that anything that will benefit the people of Armenia can only be welcomed. |