AZERBAIJAN SKEPTICAL OF NOVOROSSIISK PIPELINE.

Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company chairman, Natig Aliev, has ruled out the oil swap proposed by Moscow in the event that the Chechen section of the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline is not repaired in time to handle "early" oil from Azerbaijan. In that case, Moscow is proposing that the early crude oil be shipped from Azerbaijan via the Caspian Sea and up the Volga river by tanker ships of Russia’s LUKoil company, which would then process the oil in its Volgograd refinery. In return, Russia would export an equivalent amount of crude oil from Novorossiisk on behalf of Azerbaijan. (Pipeline News, October 14) The proposed scheme adds to existing doubts over the viability of the pipeline to Novorossiisk for export of Azerbaijani oil.

The Monitor is a publication of the Jamestown Foundation. It is researched and written under the direction of senior analysts Jonas Bernstein, Vladimir Socor, Stephen Foye, and analysts Ilya Malyakin, Oleg Varfolomeyev and Ilias Bogatyrev. If you have any questions regarding the content of the Monitor, please contact the foundation. If you would like information on subscribing to the Monitor, or have any comments, suggestions or questions, please contact us by e-mail at pubs@jamestown.org, by fax at 301-562-8021, or by postal mail at The Jamestown Foundation, 4516 43rd Street NW, Washington DC 20016. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution of the Monitor is strictly prohibited by law. Copyright (c) 1983-2002 The Jamestown Foundation Site Maintenance by Johnny Flash Productions