Meanwhile, a large-scale overhaul continues on the Baku-Supsa Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP) which has been standing inoperative since October 2007. The corresponding repair programme also includes a component that provides for the shifting of the pipeline route for a distance of a kilometre alongside the Georgian sector. In addition to six million U.S. dollars which have been spent on taking security measures in a landslide area, it is planned to outlay 22.5 million U.S. dollars on pipeline upgrade in 2006 to 2007. The company management hasn’t provided any elaboration on when the pipeline will be re-commissioned, but has emphasized that the issue depends on the pace of development of the repair work.

Referring to an interview which The London Daily Mail had made with Les Abrahams, an ex representative of BP, concerning the company’s hand in the overthrow of the government of the Azerbaijan Popular Front movement and bribing the authorities in Azerbaijan in return for having favourable terms in the Contract of the Century, Mr Schrader said that BP was “not a political organisation” and worked in the framework of the legislation of the countries in which it had operations. According to him, BP has not been engaged in any political event that had occurred in Azerbaijan; hereby the interview was a fabricated fantasy. As to the claim of bribing the Government of Azerbaijan in the amount of 30 million U.S. dollars, Mr Schrader said that the company had never had an idea of greasing anybody’s palm, and there hadn’t been made any unofficial payment to the Government of Azerbaijan in addition to the bonuses which had been transferred and made public in the framework of the production-sharing agreement [on the development of the Azeri – Chirag – (deepwater) Gunashli oil fields].