However, transporting Caspian oil through Russia creates certain political complications and difficulties for Caspian littoral states, trying to assure their independence from Russia. Several international agreements have already been signed to attract outside investments to build more pipelines, going in the Southern direction. Black Sea states alone, including Ukraine, Moldavia. Therefore any route that takes oil into the Black Sea, including a bypass through Bulgaria, continuing into Greece, may eventually provide an effective solution. A country with a heavy stake in developing the Southern route is Turkey.
Turkish experts insist that the Bosporus Straits are approaching their maximal capacity.
Ecological Concerns Awareness of potential negative effects of accelerated development of Caspian oil resources on the environment is growing. However the key to protecting the environment lies not in stopping or restricting the development of oil resources, but in introducing sensible and safe production methods and advanced technologies, constant ecological monitoring, as well as effective remedial measures in case of environmental damage. Some needed changes have already begun to take effect, such as the attempts at modernizing the Novorossiisk port facilities on the Russian Black Sea coast. Evidently, serious environmental protection requires considerable material expenditures and investments. Additionally, development of Caspian oil resources has to take into account many other concerns, including adjustment of local populations to new lifestyles and opportunities and fairness in distribution of profits.