Azerbaijan, Baku, 14 February / Trend / The US State Department will open a position of Energy Coordinator for Central Asia and Caspian Sea basin, the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a meeting dedicated to the 2009 fiscal year of the White House at the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations on 13 February.
According to Rice, energy policy has a rather large influence upon diplomacy in the world. She made the statement in response to a statement made in January by Senator Richard Lugar. Recalling his visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, Lugar said he positively assessed the close cooperation within the energy field for that region.
He voiced his concern of Russia's domination in the energy supply field and suggested the opening of a position of special advisor in the region in order to secure the US Administration's interests in the Caspian region.