Richard Lugar: "George Bush should appoint a special representative on energy issues in the Caspian region"

The appointment of special representative will be a signal that US regards this region as a priority,” the statement made by Republican Richard Lugar, head of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the results of the negotiations with Azerbaijani President says.

Mr. Lugar and head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph Biden sent letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on October 4, last year and stressed necessity of President’s appointing special representative on energy issues in Caspian region for not missing US long-term interests.

“These long-term interests lie in not allowing Russia to be dominant in the South Caucasus and Central Asia,” he said.

Mr. Lugar stated that his visit to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Ukarine aims at achieving development of cooperation in energy sector.

“This is a difficult region and regional countries undergo pressure for keeping distance in the relations with the United States,” he said.

The senator stressed that the main topic of the two day negotiations he carried out in Baku was connecting energy infrastructure of Azerbaijan with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

Mr. Lugar expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for taking definite steps confirming strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and US.

/APA/