Azerbaijan: Energy Independence from Russia

Azerbaijan will cease exporting oil to Russia via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline Jan. 1, 2007, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade said Dec. 6. Russia earlier indicated that it would significantly reduce its natural gas exports to Azerbaijan and double the price. Azerbaijan, however, has little to fear from the changes since it is well on its way to becoming the first former Soviet state to escape energy dependence on Russia.