Baku, Azerbaijan, May 4
By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend:
Azerbaijan can leave the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the head of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan Shahmar Movsumov said at the press conference.
He said that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to join the Initiative.
"We considered participation in it as an opportunity to increase transparency in the extractive sector, however some changes occurred in its mandate, and as a result, it began to protect the interests of NGOs and put pressure on Azerbaijan," said Movsumov.
He went on to add that a proposal to exclude Azerbaijan was made at the March meeting.
"This proposal was not supported, as well as the proposal to suspend the membership of the country," said Movsumov. "As a result, Azerbaijan's participation was limited to the candidacy level."
He said that the government of the country does not agree with such a decision and currently considers leaving the Initiative.
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