|
In the Name of God, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful H.E. President Moritz Leuenberger, President of the Swiss Confederation, Ladies and Gentlemen, It gives me pleasure to welcome you at the 10th International Energy Forum which is convened under circumstances where we need more dialogue and consultation to surpass all the difficulties that obstruct optimum use of energy, and restore stability to its markets, as it is an indispensable strategic commodity. The recent past was characterised by slackness of drawing proper plans to secure the future needs for energy due to the consumers weak response to many calls for dialogue with the producing countries. Today, logic and interest call for the necessity of serious action to restore stability to the oil markets which have been marked since the mid-eighties of the last century with a lot of disorder. And this can only be done through coordination and constructive dialogue between the producers and the consumers, which would secure the consumers hydro-carbon needs and realize fair prices for the producers as well as suitable revenues for the investors which would encourage them to increase their investment efforts. It is a source of optimism that we have begun to notice positive indications of the advantage of this dialogue and the necessity for its continuity. Perhaps the convening of the forum of businessmen in the oil industries sector and inviting international energy companies for a serious dialogue with the energy ministries is best evidence of the growing interaction and understanding between the producers and the consumers with the aim of containing the difficulties and surpassing all barriers, specially the psychological ones, to enhance confidence. Here, I would like to laud the (Judy) initiative for collecting and coordinating oil information, which is a fruit of this dialogue, and for its positive impact on ensuring transparency of information and limiting speculations that confuse the markets and harm the interests of both producers and consumers. Ladies and Gentlemen,
The fluctuations in the markets at present are a joint responsibility that requires from all
proper solutions that guarantee avoiding any future crisis or at least to diminish its acuteness.
With equal importance, the producing and the consuming countries are concerned with environmental
conservation and supporting scientific progress which is essential for developing sources of
clean energy. Those countries are bound to search for alternative energies, since most of what
the world consumes today are depleting resources.
In this context, the call to producing countries to increase their investments in the oil industry,
and the call to reduce dependency on oil and acceleration of the development of alternatives to it,
seems to me a sound and important matter.
This requires joint planning to specify the future world needs of various energy sources. If effecte
d, such planning would lead to avoiding the huge investment by the consuming countries to stockpile
oil which, as you know, leads to instability in the markets.
I believe it is the duty of all of us to enhance the confidence between the producer and the consumer,
and seek to convince the consuming countries that the reserves of the producing countries are
primarily a strategic stockpile for all. Thus, it would be more useful to direct those
investments to upgrading the production capacities and improve extraction capability in the
producing countries rather than wasting them on stockpiling.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank you f or your attendance and wish you and this Forum all success to become a new link that
contributes to development of the relation between energy producers and consumers.
May the peace, the mercy and the blessings of God be upon you. |
