UP CLOSE WITH MICHAEL NOBEL

CBN Extra, 25 February 2004

Michael Nobel, chairman of the board of Nobel estate arrived in Baku last week. At a press conference with the news agency "Interfax - Azerbaijan", Michael Nobel answered journalists' questions and told about the purpose of his visit to Azerbaijan. Michael Nobel's visit to Baku is primarily connected with the beginning of restoration work in the family residence, Villa Petrolia. It is expected that work will begin within one year.

We would like to extend our thanks to the General Manager of Khazar Golden Beach Hotel, Joachim Grandberq, for his help in organizing this interview with his the fellow Norwegian countryman.

Michael Nobel talked about his plans and impressions in an exclusive interview with a correspondent from "Azerbaijanskie Izvestiya", Vadim Iseev: Mr. Nobel, this is your fourth visit to Baku, what are your impressions concerning your present visit to our country?

You know, I am very impressed. Every one of my trips to Azerbaijan differs from the previous. The shape of your capital city changes every time I see it. Each time I come here, I see new buildings, better streets, and a host of other innovations in the life of your republic. It is pleasant, that all these changes occur in such a way.

This time in Baku, I had many interesting meetings. The majority of them have pleased me very much. I was especially impressed by my meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. I am very grateful to him for such a high degree of attention to our family and our plans concerning the family home in Baku. It surprises me that an identical warmth towards our family is shown by everyone I meet in Baku. I feel it as much on the highest levels as I do with the ordinary people I have spoken with here. Even the waiter from the hotel personnel treats me with special attention. It is extremely pleasant to see it here, in the country where so very much is connected to our family.

Though it is interesting to note, when the Nobel brothers all arrived here, the organization of oil extracting began to take place in a perfectly casual coincidence of circumstances. In fact, nobody then thought that there were any oil resources in Azerbaijan.

Reconstruction of your family home, Villa Petrolia, has already started. What are the terms of the agreement for transferring it to the state? Is it the end of this or the beginning of the next year? How great is the possibility of all your family members arriving in Baku for the opening of your family home? - I think that it will take place. I do not know when - the opening of our house will take place either this year or in the beginning of next year. But it has been promised to me that all the repairs will be made in the shortest amount of time. I am perfectly confident in these promises. By the way, I want to say many thanks to the "Baku-Nobel Heritage Fund" which was applied much effort to this.

I can say that very many members of our family wait impatiently for the completion of the restorations. This house means more than simply real estate to our family; it is very much an important symbol of the Nobel family history. The planned establishment of our family museum in the house has become a very important event in our history for every member of our family. I hope that it becomes possible to conduct various scientific meetings and conferences here. Mr. Nobel, what is the general opinion of Sweden concerning Azerbaijan, and in particular toward strengthening cultural connections between our countries? - Great attention and interest. Though there are still a lot of people who know nothing about Azerbaijan and generally, about the history of the Nobel family. But those who do know consider your republic with the best feelings. Besides, a considerable number of Swedes work in Azerbaijan now. I have met a few just recently. (Nods at Joachim Grandberq sitting nearby)

- If the Nobel brothers had not engaged in oil recovery in the beginning of the last century in Baku, would a general development of this branch have taken place in Azerbaijan?

- You know, that is very interesting question. Yes, it is impossible to deny that fact that when Nobel came to Baku, oil extraction was being performed in a very primitive manner. Camels were the basic vehicle here Certainly, the Nobel family played a big role in the development of the sector.

However, it is impossible to say that the Nobels were in general the original discoverers of oil deposits in Azerbaijan. They simply promoted technical progress in this area, in particular, in regards to the methods employed in the extraction and delivery of oil. Instead of the camels, barrels and barges prevalent in the oil sector of those days, tankers, an oil pipeline and other signs of progress now appear in Azerbaijan.

Certainly, clearly, the process of extracting the oil of Baku would somehow have taken place. Probably, not as quickly, but, in some years, instead of us, there would have come some other petro-industrialists.

- In your interview with the journalists, you said that, with the help of your family's authority, new international connections would be promoted for Azerbaijan. You were speaking about what connections?

- As I already said, today, our family does not have appreciable financial opportunities for investing into the economy of Azerbaijan. However, we can help through the prestige of our family name. These are the various connections, cultural and scientific for example, which I was speaking about. Of course, this also concerns bringing investments.

For today, I very much hope to attract Nobel laureates to Baku, to present a number of lectures to Azerbaijan scientists. Opportunities for the realization of this project have already been discussed.

Also the question of reviving the monetary award of Ludwig Nobel for invention in oil and gas sector and metallurgy has almost been resolved. We spoke about it already at the press conference.

I think, with the Nobel family in Azerbaijan, there are a lot of connections already forming in the most various spheres, and, I think, these connections can only grow.

I once again want to thank everyone involved with the organization of my meetings in Azerbaijan. Also I want to thank everyone, beginning with the President of Azerbaijan, for the safe keeping of Villa Petrolia and the park. I want to express this gratitude on behalf of three generations, many of which have not lived until this day and have never seen Villa Petrolia.

Azerbaijan is not the only country where there were Nobel factories. In Russia, for example, the Nobel brothers employed about 53 thousand people in manufacturing. However, we have never met such a warm feel as we have experienced here.