A. Mehtiyev brought to participants attention position of Coalition on 9^th report and the opinion given to him by Auditor Company: “The period of this report that involves first 6 months of 2008 was too significant time. So, exactly in that period division proportions in Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli agreement called “Contract of Century” had been changed. Simultaneously, there had been recorded gradually increasing of payments on gas-condensate deposit of “Shahdaniz” in report period.”

A. Mehtiyev noted that, considerably increasing of payments to Government in first 6 months of 2008 comparatively with 2007 year attracts attentions: “So, Azerbaijan’s share in produced benefit oil in Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli deposit was 30,349 million barrel in 2007, this number has been increased for 2,2 times in report period and was 65,705 million barrel. Inclusions by cost to government had been recorded much more than inclusions by nature on the background of rising prices of oil in World Market for 2 times comparatively with 2007 year. At the same time volume of benefit oil in payments of foreign oil-gas companies were decreased.

Expert notified that, starting payments on “Shahdaniz” deposit had raised new difficulties for point of pursuing of profits: Limitation of information about profits of Shahdaniz deposit creates difficulties on comparison numbers on reports with appropriate indicators on agreements. And this is a serious difficulty on assessment of efficiency of different agreements based on report results. That is why we think that, companies’ transformation to individual accountability or publication payments on separately agreements is now significant.”

Coalition members signified their anxiety related to prolonging time of representation of the report. So, 9^th report was represented in the middle of December, as before, 3 months later that it was considered on Memorandum.

There were also mentioned in the press conference Coalition’s anxiety in direction of reports’ publication only in some newspapers, and not delivering in understandable language to society, they also noted significance of improving of the process, extending citizens’ information accessibilities.

Coalition member Ingilab Ahmadov gave information to participants of media about validation of execution process of EITI in Azerbaijan. He gave wide information about development stages of EITI, necessity of validation, works done on local and international level in this direction, also Coalition’s participation in the process, and about opinion on some validation indicators. He noted that, Azerbaijan was given a “member country” status for the first time in Doha, Qatar in 4th international conference of EITI: “Azerbaijan is one of the countries that most successfully implements EITI, we even may say Azerbaijan is first.” Ingilab Ahmadov noted that civil society’s participation in this process is important and before the Doha conference they had held meetings with auditor groups, and problems were explained to them comprehensively: “Several points that worry EITI Coalition were not reflected on primary report of auditor group. After this, Coalition Council discussed this question and suggested to create a working group and to show deadline on final report related to validation, then to send it to EITI Secretariat. “It is a good case that Coalition’s anxiety was considered while Azerbaijan became member of EITI.”

Later Council member Oktay Gulaliyev spoke and noted that Azerbaijan became a member of EITI but it does not mean that all problems were solved: “Azerbaijan’s being member of one more international body is a good step from point of impact of country, it is success, but it is not solution of existing problems. Terms forwarded to our country while becoming member, shown that we are right in suggestions we are suggested. Because when said that multi-stakeholder working group must be created related to implementation of EITI, Government Commission said that there is no any necessity for it. We were saying that there has to be a working plan that balances an action, but they said it is not important. We suggested to improve understanding memorandum and reports, and to make them accessible for community, but there were no any steps. There is no any serious works in direction of solution of these problems till present. We hope that proposals of EITI Board would be implemented with assistance of civil society institutes. We want a support from you- media representatives, in direction of improving transparency and accountability system in our country.” O. Gulaliyev also mentioned that Coalition’s position was not considered on reports published till now: “In spite of we have cooperation with Government Commission; none of 9 reports were coordinated with EITI Coalition party of Understanding Memorandum. It is not right.”

At the end Coalition members responded to questions of journalists.

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Last correction date of the file: 26/12/2009 - 14:59:30