International Conference Oil and Gas Media Opened

The Palace Gulistan on September 18 opened an international conference Oil and Gas Media, sponsored by the State Oil Company SOCAR and the International Press Institute. 

The forum involved 90 participants from the media of 27 countries, writing on the subject of energy.

The head of the ideological department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov read out greetings to the participants on behalf of the President of the country, where there is considerable concern about the press and achievements in this field.

The Executive Director of the International Institute of Media Alison Bethel McKenzie said in his speech that in countries with transitional democracy there are cases of persecution of journalists. "These days, we have received information about the detention of journalists in front of the presidential administration in Baku," she said.

"In a democratic society it is a recurring problem with journalists, and it is natural, because in a free society, they are the force that criticizes those who violate human rights, launder dirty money, and hold accountable those responsible for this.

Journalistic criticism and research hinders the emergence of dictators and only in dictatorships there are problems between the government and the press," she said.

Energy Minister Natik Aliyev spoke about the country's success in the field of oil and gas, construction of new pipelines and gas fields.

In particular, he said that "the proven gas reserves in Azerbaijan are 2.5 trillion cubic meters, and in Turkmenistan - 7.5 trillion cubic meters."

Then he touched the pipeline project TANAP, the construction of which will begin in 2013. It will become an important element of the Southern energy corridor, 715 km of which occur in Turkmenistan, 300 km is the bottom of the Caspian Sea, 408 km - is the territory of Azerbaijan, 200 km is the territory of Georgia, and 320 kilometers are in Turkey.

The Minister further said that Kazakhstan plans to transport its oil from Kashagan to Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. "We're working on this issue," he said.

The Minister further touched on the role of the press and finally noticed that journalists often "superficially" write about energy, creating a "stereotype of corruption, money laundering and other problems in the oil-producing countries." He also noted that the free media can only exist in stable countries. Compared with the 1990s, when 10 journalists were killed in Azerbaijan, now the media live in a period of prosperity," said Natig Aliyev.

The conference continues with the speeches of other participants in the sessions: "Oil and Freedom of the Press", "Risks and Rewards", "Research and Security", "If My Country Is Rich in Oil, then Why Am I Poor?" etc.-03C-