Azerbaijan, Baku, May 1 / Trend H.Valiyev /
Azerbaijan appealed to Russia to speed up implementation of agreements on laying trans-boundary fiber-optic backbone between Russia and Azerbaijan, a company spokeswoman, Russia's national operator Sinterra's Spokesman Yekaterina Andreyeva told Trend by telephone from Moscow.
Synterra and Azerbaijan's Azertelekom implement a project on construction of trans-boundary fiber-optic backbone between the two countries in the area of Derbent (Dagestan) - Guba (Azerbaijan).
Andreyeva said the embassy and trade representation of Russia in Azerbaijan and leaders of the joint intergovernmental commission closely follow the development of the project.
She said the Azerbaijani said addressed a proposal to accelerate the implementation of the project to Russian Energy Minister and head of an intergovernmental commission from the Russian side Sergei Shmatko.
"We are confident that this support will not remain without attention of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Shmatko, and all necessary adjustments to the Russian Supervision Commission's activity, Andreyeva said.
Today, the Russian part of the infrastructure is fully prepared to completion of the project. Sinterra laid more than 180 kilometers of primary and backup fiber-optic line from the site of its national backbone network in Makhachkala before entering the border area with the Russian side.
"Sinterra is satisfied with the dynamics of development of partnership with Azerbaijan. It is very pleased that pocessing a wide selection of telecommunications partners to enter Europe, Azerbaijan has chosen Synterra to cooperate. We are proud that the joint project "Azertelekom" and "Synterra" found support from the two countries' governments," Andreyeva said.
In accordance with the international agreement reached at the twelfth session of the Azerbaijan- Russia intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in May 2009, as well as on the Russia government's order dated Aug.19, 2009, "Synterra" and "Azertelekom" implement a project on the construction of trans-boundary fiber-optic backbone between Russia and Azerbaijan in the Derbent-Guba area.
In November 2009, Synterra received a positive expert opinion on the systematic project to build a fiber-optic backbone "Makhachkala - Derbent" on the state border of Azerbaijan" approved by the chairman of the governmental commission on the federal communications and information technology, minister of communications and mass communications. All members of the government committee (representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Emergency Situations Ministry, the Russian FSB, FSO and CMT), as well as the Dagestani President expressed support for the project.
Recently, Synterra filed an arbitration claim against the Russian Supervision Commission in connection with the illegal delay in the construction of the Russia-Azerbaijan backbone. Synterra claim to part of the proceeds from the Euro-Asian transit traffic market estimated at $90 million a year. Today, much of the traffic passes through the Rostelecom network, which is almost completely, controlled the Eurasian transit traffic that goes through Azerbaijan.
Rostelecom reported that the company is not interested in creating any artificial restrictions on competition and welcomes any steps aimed at creating equal conditions for all companies in the sector.
After the decision to build trans-boundary fiber-optic backbone, Synterra received a building permit from the commission on federal relations and information technology. The next stage of approval was to be a permit for the design of transition from the Russian Supervision Commission, which refused Synterra to issue a formal conclusion referring to the letter of the Communication Ministry, which recommended to suspend the issuance of permits to allow for additional system project.
In turn, the Russian Communications Ministry reported that the matter does not deals with Synterra, but with the strategic interests of the country, and that the development of international relations with other countries can not be viewed in the context of the interests of a company. The request for suspension of the authorization was caused by the fact that the issue is of strategic importance, and will be considered at the next meeting of the governmental commission on communications and information technology.
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