GEOG 2002: Geographies of Global Change: Spring 2004
Instructor: Professor John O'Loughlin

Debate 1

Debate on the Competition for Caspian Sea Oil

The second debate in week 7 of the class is on the subject of the current competition for access to the oil reserves in the Caspian Sea basin. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, the region now lies at the intersection of the Turkic and Russian worlds. In addition to the local powers (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan), external actors are very interested in access to the riches of the region. Specifically, the West (especially the United States), Iran, Russia and Turkey are actively currying friends and influence in the region. Almost all of the major Western oil companies are engaged in exploring the oil and gas resources and in developing contracts with the local powers. Russia is especially worried about this intrusion of the external powers into its zone of influence that has lasted for 200 years. A major issue is the choice of a route for the export of the region’s oil and gas resources.

There are five positions - each corresponding to a team. Each team is asked to respond to the 4 questions below in their presentation. For each team, we suggest a web link if you want more information on the perspective that you are representing. You can also, of course, find other materials in the library or on the Web to help your argument. For a good overview sources, you will find it very helpful to read the Department of Energy’s Report on the Caspian Sea Region. The International Center for Caspian Studies has regional news and information on pipeline construction – see the Maps link to view current and proposed pipelines (please note that the founder is a former Azeri parliament member). As before, be sure to read The Economist article on reserve: “A Moment of Truth: The Caucasus.”

Team A

Official U.S. Governmental Policy

Eizenstat Testimony on US Involvement in Caspian Sea Oil (1998),

See also Iran: Current Developments and US Policy, a CRS Congressional Brief (p. 13, Caspian Sea Oil, note: this is a .pdf document),

Team B

Azerbaijan (the key oil state in the region)

“The Independent Azerbaijan’s Oil Policy,” a lecture by Nasib Nassibli (1998),

See also the Caspian Information Agency for recent events, Baku Today, an Azeri regional newspaper, and the BBC Country Profiles.

Team C

Major Oil Companies

British Petroleum – News on the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline

ChevronTexaco News (about the Caspian Pipeline Consortium)

Team D

Russia

“Russia’s New Caspian Policy,” by Doug Blum (2000)

Speech by Victor Kalyuzhny, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (2003)

Team E

Critics of US Policy

Third World Traveler, “Behind the Fog of Deception: Washington’s Real War Aims,” Lance Selfa (2001)

Environmentalists: Department of Energy, Analysis of Caspian Sea Environmental Issues

Human Rights Activists: Amnesty International Criticisms of Baku-Ceyhan

Answer these following 4 questions in your presentation:

State your interest in the Caspian Sea oil resources? What future do you want?
Who are your allies and why would they be allied to you?
Which Caspian oil route do you prefer and why?
What should be the policy of the West in respect of the operations of the major oil companies?