ANKARA - A barrel of oil which will be set off from Baku on August 31 will be brought to its last stop Yumurtalik within the framework of the organization named ''Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Oil Pipeline Oil Odyssey 2002''.
The organization which was first started by freelance journalist Thomas Goltz to support BTC project in 2000 and 2001 became traditional.
BTC officials said that the decrease in tanker traffic and its positive contributions to the environmental security of straits and Istanbul show that the project is safe and environment friendly. The officials noted that the organization named Oil Odyssey was held to emphasize this positive contribution.
The officials also said that the project will provide Turkey with geopolitical power as the country is located in the exit point of the pipeline which is an important part of East-West energy corridor. They stated that this geopolitic power will make Ceyhan an important international oil market center.
Georgian, Azerbaijani and Turkish folklore dancers and singers will accompany the group and concerts and shows will be organized in three countries this year.
Oil Odyssey 2002 which is organized by American free journalist Thomas Goltz will start on August 31 and will follow this route:
''Turkgozu, Posof, Damal, Arpacay, Anikoy, Kars, Selim, Sarikamis, Karaurgan, Horasan, Koprukoy, Pasinler, Erzurum, Askale, Tercan, Baskoy, Erzincan, Refahiye, Imranli, Zara, Hafik, Sivas, Sarkisla, Altinyayla, Pinarbasi, Sariz, Goksun, Andirin, Kadirli, Ceyhan and Botas Yumurtalik.''
On 22 August 2001, in a symbolic gesture, Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev had given a barrel of Azerbaijani oil to a motorcycled group in Sangachal terminal. The group had followed BTC route and had been received by Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze in Tbilisi. The group had delivered the oil to Turkey in a ceremony held under the auspices of Energy and Natural Sources Minister Zeki Cakan in Botas Yumurtalik facilities on 2 September 2002.