From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Tue Jul 24 2001 - 14:51:44 EDT
IRAN WARNS AZERBAIJAN OVER CASPIAN OIL DEVELOPMENT
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Ahani on 21 July lodged a formal protest
with Azerbaijan's charge d'affaires in Tehran against plans by the
Azerbaijan state oil company SOCAR and foreign oil companies, including
BP and Exxon/Mobil, to develop the Araz-Alov-Sharg oil deposits that
Iran considers lie within its section of the Caspian Sea, Turan and the
"Financial Times" reported. Two Iranian air force planes overflew the
Araz-Alov-Sharg deposit on the afternoon of 23 July, and later that
evening an Iranian warship entered Azerbaijani territorial waters and
threatened to open fire on an Azerbaijani oil exploration ship unless it
left the area, AP reported. Azerbaijan's Prime Minister Artur Rasizade
summoned Iranian Ambassador Ahad Gazai on 24 July to protest those
actions, which he described as "a gross violation of international
norms," according to Turan. LF
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