US TO BE MAJOR CONSUMER OF OIL TO RUN VIA BTC

Baku, IAA "Trend" April 6

The Unites States will be the major consumer of oil to run via the Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export oil pipeline, Victor Kaluzhniy, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, told a news conference in Moscow, Trend reports.

"The key objective for US presence in the Caspian region is energy resources. Serious energy crisis threatens the United States and pins great hopes on BTC," he said.

Kaluzhniy noted that to date the United States produces 340 million tons of oil and imports over 600 million a year. "The United States is need of energy resources. In this connection the Caspian enters the circle of US economic interests, which conducts active policy to create oil pipelines beyond Russia," Deputy FM underlined.

Kaluzhniy thinks Kazakhstan's joining the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export oil pipeline was a result of Russia's inflexible tariff policy. "It is necessary to be flexible in issues concerning the tariff policy and it will make Russia attractive for energy resources transit via its territory," Kaluzhniy stressed.

According to Russian Deputy FM, the northern oil pipeline Baku-Novorossiysk could ensure the entire Caspian oil through its territory. Moreover, Russian company Transneft might be involved the transportation of energy resources.