Posted on 05/12/2007 9:03:13 AM PDT by LjubivojeRadosavljevic
Russia clinches gas pipeline deal
Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to build a new natural gas pipeline north from the Caspian Sea. Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced the deal at a summit with Central Asian leaders in Turkmenistan.
The agreement ensures Russia's access to Turkmenistan's gas, and is a setback to rival US and European Union plans.
They had hoped to pipe Turkmen gas across the Caspian sea via Turkey, in order to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian-controlled energy.
Following two days of negotiations the presidents of the three countries, meeting in the Turkmen port city of Turkmenbashi, announced they would sign a treaty on the planned pipeline by September.
President Putin said the deal would mean increased energy supplies to Europe.
'Huge blow'
The new pipeline will carry gas from Turkmenistan, one of the world's largest sources of gas, through Kazakhstan to Russia.
"We will reconstruct the Caspian shore gas pipeline with a capacity of 10 billion cubic metres (per year) and build a parallel gas pipeline." Mr Putin said.
Analysis: Russian deal The deal represents a victory for Russia, which buys Turkmen gas at below-market prices.
The BBC's Natalia Antelava says the agreement is a huge blow to Washington, Brussels and Beijing, who have all been vying for direct access to Turkmenistan's gas.
They have lobbied strongly for a route under the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Turkey, bypassing Russia.
Turkmenistan's massive gas reserves are effectively controlled by Moscow, since it relies on Russian energy giant Gazprom's Soviet-era pipelines for distribution.
For two decades, the isolationist policy of Turkmenistan's late leader Saparmurat Niyazov made additional access impossible.
But his death last year opened a window of opportunity and it was hoped that new President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov would give the go-ahead to a trans-Caspian pipeline that would ease Europe's dependence on Kremlin-controlled energy.
Well, I’m in favor of saving gas no matter what, so much of this stuff was flared off in the past it makes every MPG/goeballs warning effort pale by contrast.
Is this Putin's latest axis of evil? A curious combination.
The American leftists' mantra, "It's all about oil," is a relic of KBG propaganda which they eagerly sucked up and spew forth. In point of fact, it's mostly Russia that is exploiting oil and gas for political purposes. Our big energy companies are being gradually marginalized, which will NOT have a pleasant effect on our energy-dependent country.
These things have a way of turning ugly in that part of the world.
What US plans could possibly be impacted in this region? Is Conoco doing business there? If the Alaska-Siberia pipeline were to be constructed it would possibly be of interest to the US.
It’s an interesting region. One of my sons has been in Bishkok, Kyrgistan, for the past couple of months, learning Russian.
First wave invasion = setting up retail presence, then they'll start buying up refineries.
Here’s hoping sabotage happens here like it does on Iraqi pipelines only far worse.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.