Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 9
By Daniar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Starting from January 1, 2014 Kazakhstan will chair the Energy Charter Conference, and then the chairmanship will pass to Georgia in 2015, according to a message of the KazEnergy Association.
"The election of Kazakhstan as the next chairman of Energy Charter Conference, to be held in Astana in late November 2014, was the main result of the 24th session of the Energy Charter Conference that took place last week in the capital of Cyprus - Nicosia," according to KazEnergy's message.
During its session the Energy Charter Conference approved a new system of chairmanship for this organization, which will contribute to greater political involvement of member countries in the charter's processes, KazEnergy said.
"Starting from 2014, countries will in turn chair the conference for one year. Thus, Kazakhstan will become the first chairing state from January 1, 2014," KazEnergy said.
KazEnergy Association participates in talks on the main documents of the Energy Charter.
"It is an honor for Kazakhstan to become the first country to undertake the presidency," KazEnergy Vice Chairman, Jambulat Sarsenov said at a press conference in Nicosia.
Sarsenov also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Energy Charter Conference.
He said that Kazakhstan is looking forward to the honor with confidence recognizing the complexity of challenges and opportunities related to the charter's modernization.
"Our country is in the heart of Eurasia and plays an important role in the region's energy balance and energy security. We have proven ourselves to be a reliable and experienced international partner and we are willing to work to bring the charter to the forefront of the global energy management system," he said.
Sarsenov also noted that the priorities of Kazakhstan's chairmanship will include investments in the energy sector, transit and trade.
A regular review of the charter in 2014 is also scheduled. The reviews are held by member states every five years.
Another important area of work will be devoted to talks on an updated version of the Energy Charter of 1991 - a political declaration that underlies all of the Energy Charter processes.
"KazEnergy Association's Vice Chairman held a meeting with the Energy Charter's Secretary General, Urban Rusnak. During the meeting they discussed a wide range of cooperation issues in the framework of the Energy Charter Treaty, including the agenda of the next meeting in Astana," according to the message.
The secretary general congratulated Sarsenov on Kazakhstan's election as the conference chairman for 2014 under the new system and has suggested the next meeting in Astana coincide with the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Energy Charter Treaty and the organization's creation.
KazEnergy's vice chairman confirmed that the Kazakh Ministry of Oil and Gas was preparing for chairmanship of this prestigious organization, and the issues of transit of energy resources and energy efficiency are likely to become the main theme of the conference in Astana.
KazEnergy Vice Chairman, Jambulat Sarsenov said the Kazakh government is considering the current state of the country's energy transit as an opportunity to create a "New Silk Road" - a totally new kind of energy resources transit, in which Kazakhstan will become a bridge between the energy markets of China and Europe.
"Kazakhstan will organize the next session of the Energy Charter Conference in late 2014 in Astana. In 2015, the chairmanship will pass to Georgia and to Japan in 2016," according to KazEnergy's message.
Energy Charter Conference is the supreme governing body of the Energy Charter - an international organization that sets legally binding rules in the international energy sector and brings together 52 Eurasian countries.
Kazakhstan joined the Energy Charter Treaty in 1995.
Translated by E.A
Edited by C.N