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View Full Version : Merkel arrives in Russia for talks


Tet
01-21-07, 11:22 AM
SOCHI, January 21 (RIA Novosti) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed Sunday bilateral and international issues with President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Russia will expand its hydrocarbon transportation network in all directions to reduce its dependence on transit states, Putin said.

According to the president, Russia will accelerate the construction of networks, including a pipeline along the bed of the Baltic Sea.

Putin also said Russia intends to "speed up the laying of a pipeline to the coast of the Pacific Ocean to use the possibility of sending energy products directly to our consumers."

Putin confirmed Russia's commitment to switch to market relations with all hydrocarbon consumers, saying this will be profitable for all.
"We have always spoken about that and intend to switch to clear-cut, understandable market relations with all partners, and our European consumers are interested in this," Putin said.

Putin also said it was important to start negotiations on a new strategic partnership treaty between Russia and the EU, to replace the existing accord when it expires at the end of this year.

Putin also said it was inadmissible for the Kosovo status solution to be imposed from outside.
Putin and Merkel said the Iran nuclear issue should be solved solely by political and diplomatic means.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070121/59449395.html

Note how everything involves getting Russia's oil and gas to market for a currency other than d0llars. Baltic pipeline, selling direct to consumers, market relations all of this means other currencies for Russian oil and gas. I wonder what Wall Street and London are going to do if they are no longer profiting from Russian resources.

medved
01-21-07, 09:28 PM
Note how everything involves getting Russia's oil and gas to market for a currency other than d0llars. Baltic pipeline, selling direct to consumers, market relations all of this means other currencies for Russian oil and gas. I wonder what Wall Street and London are going to do if they are no longer profiting from Russian resources.

They will laugh all the way to the bank, when frozen europeans come back to them begging for alternative oil and gas sources. Just ask Ukrainians, Hungarians etc. about the cold winter of 2005/2006.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1841902,00.html

m.

Tet
01-21-07, 10:16 PM
They will laugh all the way to the bank, when frozen europeans come back to them begging for alternative oil and gas sources. Just ask Ukrainians, Hungarians etc. about the cold winter of 2005/2006.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1841902,00.html
m.
Ukrainian dispute certainly turned into much lower natural gas prices. Wall Street and London can't be too happy about that and certainly the rest of Europe isn't running to them for alternatives. This is the year things get interesting.

medved
01-21-07, 11:22 PM
Ukrainian dispute certainly turned into much lower natural gas prices.

Because the whole "oil crisis" was a mini-bubble anyway.

Wall Street and London can't be too happy about that

They absolutely are. Oil is just one of the many ways they make money. I am sure, they shorted oil before it crashed from $70 to $50. As long as they stay close to the printing presses (and they do), they will continue to prosper (provided, the printing presses work properly).

and certainly the rest of Europe isn't running to them for alternatives. This is the year things get interesting.

If they are getting too friendly with Mr. Putin, they, eventually, will have no choice. Their problem is to keep the balance between the US and Russia without getting too dependent on either side.

m.