Lord Browne
Chief Executive Officer
BP
Britannic House
1 Finsbury Circus
London
EC2M 7BA

Dear Lord Browne,

I am writing to you to express my very serious concerns about the plans for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline project, in particular regarding the social and human rights context in the region. I heard about a seminar organised by the Baku Ceyhan Campaign and held in the House of Lords on Monday 28^th October, entitled ‘BP’s new Caspian Pipeline – Fit for Public Funding?’.

The seminar raised many important issues and drew from the experience of existing BP pipeline systems, in the North Sea, in Alaska and in Colombia. The seminar was very well attended, by parliamentarians, by representatives of the oil industry and of financial institutions, by journalists and by non-governmental organisations.

I was thus extremely disappointed to hear that BP refused the invitation to participate in the seminar. Given that BP and its partners are seeking financing from public institutions, such as the Export Credit Guarantee Department and multilateral financial institutions, I am very concerned that BP does not see the need to explain and justify its project to the public and to parliamentarians. BP was invited well in advance, and given free reign to decide what issues to talk about and how, and to bring colleagues to participate in the seminar.

BP publicly prides itself on its progressive attitude to consultation with stakeholders. I should be very grateful if you would kindly explain why your company does not consider these stakeholders important, and why it is not prepared to discuss these crucial issues in a public forum.

In particular, the Baku Ceyhan Campaign invited speakers from around the world, including countries such as Colombia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, where there are serious concerns about human rights and about intimidation of those who criticise government positions. I would like to ask your commitment to do everything in your power to ensure the security and safety of these people, and that they will not be threatened for voicing some concerns and criticisms of oil operations.

It is a great shame that your colleagues were not able to comment on the great many environmental, human rights and social issues raised in the seminar. Could you please explain BP’s absence from this seminar? And how can you justify asking for public money when your company refused to engage in this public debate?

I look forward to your response.