Press Release

Become a Golden Supporter

For Immediate Release: Monday 18th August 2003

Photo Opportunity: Tuesday 19th August 2003, 1200h. Shakespeare makes an appearance along with protesters from Stratford and Birmingham Friends of the Earth at AMEC plc's office, Timothys Bridge Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 9NJ.

Alas, Poor AMEC!
Shakespeare Slams Company Over Oil Pipeline

William Shakespeare will deliver a "poetical speech"[1] at AMEC plc's offices in Stratford-upon-Avon on Tuesday as part of a demonstration against the company's involvement in a controversial Caspian oil pipeline. Friends of the Earth campaigners say the pipeline will be a human rights, environmental and social disaster for the region and are calling for AMEC to pull out of the project.

The Baku-Ceyhan pipeline will transport oil 1,750 km from Baku in Azerbaijan through Georgia to Ceyhan on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. AMEC's subsidiary Spie has won the largest construction contract for the pipeline from BP and plans to build the Georgian section of the pipeline [2].

Over 70 international NGOs have raised serious concerns about the Baku-Ceyhan project. The pipeline cuts through Georgia's foremost national park, the Borjomi Natural Prevservation, and under the mineral springs that are the source of Borjomi mineral water, one of Georgia's most important exports. Moreover, as the pipeline follows a highly active earthquake fault line in northern Turkey, disastrous oil spills are almost inevitable.

Local people's lands and livelihoods will be destroyed by the pipeline. They say they haven't been fully consulted about the pipeline and are worried they won't receive fair compensation for damage to their lands and communities.

Stratford-upon-Avon Friends of the Earth campaigner Mick Davies said:

"We want AMEC to pull out of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project. From poverty-stricken Azerbaijan and Georgia to war-torn Turkey, the benefits of the project will be enjoyed only by an privileged elite; ordinary people will share only the considerable environmental and social burdens."

The BTC project would exacerbate poverty in the region, add to the countries' debts, undermine the transition to democracy, inflame the existing regional and ethnic tensions, and lead to human rights abuses. The BP-led consortium will be able to side-step host country laws, escape liability in the event of environmental damage, and obtain unfettered access to water supplies, regardless of local communities and their needs.

The protesters on Tuesday will distribute letters from the Baku-Ceyhan Campaign to AMEC's employees telling them about the issues surrounding the project and how they can put pressure on the company to withdraw.[3]

Birmingham Friends of the Earth campaigner James Botham said:

"Our campaign is not against AMEC employees, but against AMEC's decision to participate in this irresponsible and short-sighted project."

Editor's Notes

[1] Shakespeare will deliver the following "poetical speech":

Alas! Poor AMEC! And partner SPIE,
Awarded a contract to deliver BP
Oil of great price from the Caspian Sea
Through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turk-ey

And if the World Bank doth so decree
A great pipeline from Baku to Ceyhan there shall be
Paid for out of public coffers (that's free -
If your're BP). But whither thou, democra-cy?

Is this an oil tanker I see before me?
Or a thousand each year until 2040?
An oil-ful disaster ahead we foresee
Whilst big businessmen count up their profits with glee

Local folk from their land are forced to flee
Few lasting jobs and a wrecked econo-my
A ruined Nature Preserve in Borjo-mi
Corruption and conflict and dire pover-ty

It's not about wealth or prosperi-ty
But greed and US foreign poli-cy
Alas, poor AMEC, and partner SPIE
The question is - to BP or not to BP?

[2] AMEC's associate company Spie (46% owned by AMEC) has been awarded a US $320 million joint venture contract (Spie share $160 million) for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Company, led by BP. The contract covers the engineering and delivery of 248 kilometres of oil pipeline through Georgia in addition to three associated pumping stations (two in Georgia and one in Azerbaijan) and is due for completion in mid-2005. (Source: Company Press Release October 2002).

[3] AMEC employees will be encouraged to send the following letter to Sir Peter Mason, AMEC Chief Executive:

I am writing to express my concerns about the proposed Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline which your company is involved in through a $320 million joint venture contract in Georgia.

I am deeply concerned about the grave impacts the BTC pipeline will have on regional tensions, poverty, human rights and local populations and urge you to reconsider your company's involvement in this damaging project.

Please consider the following issues when assessing AMEC's role in the proposed pipeline:

• In the public interest? The Inter-governmental Agreement for the pipeline says the project "…is not intended or required to operate in the service of the public benefit or interest in its Territory".
• Meeting international standards? The BP-led consortium has said that the BTC project will comply with World Bank standards. However, NGOs who have visited the region report that there have already been major violations of these standards. An analysis by WWF undertaken as part of the project EIA for Georgia concludes that there is insufficient data to satisfy EC or UK regulations for a project of this nature.
  
• Alleviating poverty? The pipeline threatens to undermine and distort local economies in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The pipeline could destroy Georgia's main source of export income - the Borjomi mineral water springs.
  
• Worsening climate change. The pipeline will transport oil which, when burnt, will be equivalent to 30% of the UK's yearly carbon dioxide emissions.
  
• Creating local pollution. Oil spills are inevitable. The pipeline runs through areas prone to erosion and earthquakes.
  
• Damaging unique and sensitive natural habitats, including Georgia's primeval beech forest. The Georgian Minister of the Environment expressed doubts about the project, saying, "BP representatives are requesting the Georgian government to violate our own environmental legislation." It is reported that the minister was put under pressure to approve the project route despite many unresolved concerns. The route breaches IUCN (World Conservation Union) guidelines, and is strongly opposed by the Georgian public.
  
• Increasing tensions in a turbulent region. There have been recent conflicts in Eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The pipeline will require substantial security, and will be a prime target for terrorist attack.
  
• Increasing human rights abuses and repression. The pipeline threatens to become a militarised corridor - Georgia is investing heavily in military units to guard the pipeline.

I welcome the fact that AMEC states in its policies that: "We respect the human rights and dignity of those affected by our operations in a manner consistent with the obligations and commitments of the international jurisdictions in which we operate and without discrimination of any kind" and "We will pursue an absolute goal of causing no harm to the environment."

I urge AMEC to live up to its principles which I believe are incompatible with continued involvement in the BTC pipeline and therefore request that AMEC withdraw from the project forthwith.

For email version visit www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/press_for_change/email_peter_mason/