The letter of the Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev to His Excellency William J. Clinton, President of the United States of America - November 6, 2000


Dear mister President!

I express my gratitude to you for your congratulation letter to me on the occasion of signing the last agreements on construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

I am glad that the new oil strategy of independent Azerbaijan, founded by signing the contract named by you "Contract of century" in September, 1994, is being carried out systematically and successfully. As a result of initiative and serious efforts of Azerbaijan, the Caspian Sea has already been opened for the cooperation with the entire world. Exploitation of rich oil and gas resources of the Caspian Sea together with the leading energy companies of the world, including the United States of America, already yields the positive results.

I am happy that despite enormous difficulties with which we faced, the construction of the Baku - Tbilisi - Ceyhan main export pipeline, being the integral part of new oil strategy of Azerbaijan, is at a stage of realization. We worked together with you within six years, conducted intense negotiations and at last, signed the contract on it in November of the last year within the frameworks of the OSCE Istanbul summit with your participation.

I share your opinion that the realization of this huge project will promote maintenance of peace and development in region. I consider that the United States of America should make active efforts directed on strengthening regional cooperation between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to provide the security of pipelines.

Efforts of the government of the United States of America and the big American energy companies working in Kazakhstan assume great importance for maintenance of more active participation of Kazakhstan in this project. From our part, we will do our best for this purpose as well.

I am sure that this strategy not only gives a guarantee to economic prosperity of Azerbaijan, strengthens the sovereignty and independence of our state, but also opens the good opportunities for maintenance of economic revival and security of all Caspian region.

You can be sure that we shall continue our close cooperation as well as henceforth with the government of the United States of America which we consider the close ally and the strategic partner, and the companies of your country for joint development of rich oil and gas deposits in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea and their export to the world market by reliable, safe ways with the large energy companies of the United States of America and the world.

Dear mister President!

This is the incontestable reality that from the first day as we have begun these huge projects, the United States of America showed a big interest in the Caspian Sea, supported our work directly. I have said it before and now once again I am declaring that without care, help of the government of the United States of America, without your personal care, help and support we could not achieve such successes.

Therefore, I also congratulate you on this significant event from the bottom of my heart and especially I note your great services in strengthening the American-Azerbaijan friendship, establishment and development of relations of strategic partnership and alliance between our states.

I believe that these huge projects being carried out jointly by us will bring its contribution to strengthening peace and stability all over the world by playing the important role in meeting energy needs of mankind in XXI century.

Yours sincerely,

Heydar Aliyev,

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Baku, November, 2000

 

It was translated from the newspaper "Azerbaijan", November 7, 2000

Brief essays

Oil and gas pipelines

General historical background

OIL STRATEGY

I & R materials

Bill Clinton

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline