RusEnergy

10.08.2006 - MosNews - The United States welcomes Russian investments in Central Asia and China, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Brize told reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 9. Brize added that Russian investment will help to strengthen the region's energy sector. The U.S. official expressed his belief that Russia will continue to be the key player in the energy market as long as this market exists. He added that the role of Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the regional economic development has been positive. Brize, who was quoted by the Itar-Tass agency, also said that energy cooperation in the Caspian region was impossible without Russia. He emphasized that 40 percent of all Caspian projects, which the U.S. administration has been promoting in recent years, are linked with Russia. Speaking about the recently-launched Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which received support from the United States, Brize explained that the U.S. adminsitrations views the pipeline as means to avoid monopoly on the oil and gas markets. The U.S. government plans to use the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to attract Turkey to the development of the Caspian and Caucasus regions.