A new dialogue is set to develop between the Energy Charter, a 51-member inter-g ...

A new dialogue is set to develop between the Energy Charter, a 51-member inter-governmental process for energy cooperation between European and Asian states, and Opec. During a meeting on 29 November 2002 Dr Alvaro Silva-Calderon, Secretary General of Opec, and Dr Ria Kemper, Secretary General of the Energy Charter Secretariat, discussed prospects for future cooperation between the two organisations. It was agreed that the Energy Charter Secretariat would participate in a workshop on the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) - the legally-binding foundation on which the Energy Charter process is based, which sets out a framework of rules for cooperation among its signatory states on energy trade, transit, investments and energy efficiency with the aim of promoting an open, competitive energy market in the Eurasian continent. The workshop is to be held in early 2003 for representatives of Opec member states, in order to increase their familiarity with the Treaty and its role as a basis for international energy cooperation At present none of the 11 member states of Opec are members of the Energy Charter, although six (Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Venezuela) have observer status at the Energy Charter Conference (the Charter’s governing body).