Oil tops Tehran summit agenda

The region contains vast reserves of oil and gas

By regional analyst Pam O'Toole

Leaders from 10 western and central Asian countries are meeting in Tehran to discuss how to boost efforts to develop the region's oil and gas industries.

Economic Co-operation Organisation (Eco) member states are expected to endorse a framework agreement, proposing limited practical measures to help exploit the region's energy resources.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami opened the summit with a goodwill gesture, saying his county was ready to agree to share equally the resources of the oil- and gas-rich Caspian Sea.

Four of the five states bordering the Caspian are Eco members.

The two-day meeting - which groups Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the six former Soviet Central Asian republics - comes amid calls for Eco to adopt more practical forms of co-operation in key areas.

Even the movement's founders admit that it has so far failed to live up to its aims of boosting economic collaboration across this vast region of 300 million people.

Rivalries

The original dream of creating a "Muslim common market" has not materialised, with members complaining about the slow pace of implementation.

Iran says it wants to use this summit to establish more practical forms of co-operation.

To show our goodwill we are ready to adhere to the principle of sharing equitably the resources of the Caspian

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami

Efforts to boost ties in the energy sector have so far been dogged by regional rivalries and members' competing alliances with outside powers.

While Iran is using this summit to stress its own potential as the cheapest and safest export route for Caspian oil and gas, its bid is hampered by opposition from Washington.

A number of Eco's Caspian states are continuing to export energy through Russia, while Turkey - with American backing - is competing with Tehran over the routing of a new pipeline.

Tensions between Iran and Turkey are high over a number of issues.

'Snub'

Staying away: Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer

The announcement that the Turkish president would not attend the summit was regarded as a snub to Tehran.

Meanwhile, calls for the summit to adopt a united front against Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement are unlikely to go down well with Pakistan, the Taleban's main supporter.

Afghanistan is represented at the summit by former President Burhanuddin Rabbani, ousted from Kabul by the Taleban in 1996.

Unless Eco can find ways of producing tangible economic benefits for individual states without any political price, it will continue to fail to achieve its goals.