Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr A. Badalova / The Government of Azerbaijan and BP signed a Bilateral Security Protocol in Baku on 13 November which will govern the provision of security for BP-operated oil and gas projects in Azerbaijan, the company reported.
The protocol covers the provision of security for BP-operated facilities and installations: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) projects, the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP), the Northern Route Export Pipeline (NREP), the installations associated with the offshore Shah Deniz and ACG (Azeri, Chirag and Deepwater Gunashli) fields, as well as related onshore installations located at the Sangachal Terminal. The protocol aims also to promote respect for and compliance with internationally recognized human rights principles.
Specifically the Bilateral Security Protocol defines standards and procedures on the use of force and firearms, hiring and training security personnel, consultation and exchange of information, and monitoring compliance.
The signing of the Protocol fulfils the commitment undertaken by the Governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey and BTC Co set forth in the BTC Joint Statement, of May 2003. In the Statement, the parties declared their mutual commitment to promoting respect for and compliance with human rights standards through signing protocols to the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and Host Government Agreements (HGAs).
"We are convinced that the signing of the Bilateral Security Protocol will bring cooperation between the Government of Azerb aijan and BP to a new and higher level which will further enhance the security of our joint projects through the promotion of respect for and compliance with international human rights standards," BP President in Azerb aijan Bill Schrader said.