Fate of BTC is Still Undecided

(Tbilisi, November 30, 2002, Civil Georgia) The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Georgia has to issue its permission to start construction of the Georgian part of the BTC oil pipeline until 11:00 PM, November 30.

Active negotiations were held throughout the recent days between the Ministry, the Georgian International Oil Corporation and British Petroleum on ecological safety issues of the pipeline. Yesterday, high-ranking executives of the BP company have arrived to Tbilisi to join the talks.

As the Environment Minister Nino Chkhobadze told Rustavi 2 TV, ecological safety guarantees, which were submitted to the Ministry by the BP, are unacceptable in the form they were submitted.

The Ministry has not a right to suggest an alternate route of the pipeline. The Ministry has no objections to the route of the pipeline through Georgia, except its part in Borjomi valley.

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