[LadyRuby]

UK Observer: Putin plan to shut out US oil giants

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')resident Vladimir Putin is set to keep US oil companies out of a lucrative gas field in the latest sign of the deteriorating relationship between Moscow and Washington.
The Russian leader is expected to favour Norwegian companies and reject bids by America's Chevron and ConocoPhillips after failing to secure backing from the United States for his country's attempt to join the World Trade Organisation.

The tit-for-tat snub will be a blow to US companies scrambling for access to Russia's huge gas reserves at a time of high energy prices. It comes after Putin failed to resolve differences with US President George Bush over trade and human rights at the G8 conference in St Petersburg last week.

The two leaders were barbed about each other's democratic records at a tense G8 press conference. Putin later publicly praised Norsk Hydro and Statoil, the Norwegian firms that are competing with US companies for a role in developing the highly prized Shtokman gas field.

'There is very little chance the American majors will win that tender now,' a Russian oil analyst said yesterday. 'Putin was hoping WTO membership would be wrapped up in time for St Petersburg. The failure to do that is a blow to his prestige.'

A final decision on awarding the contracts - which involves extracting and transporting gas from Shtokman in partnership with Gazprom, the Russian state-controlled company - was also originally expected before the G8 summit but has been postponed until next month at the earliest.

As well as the US and Norwegian companies, Total of France is also on the shortlist to develop the 3.7 trillion cubic metre gas field, which is located in the Barents Sea, near the Arctic Circle.

...

[Gazzatrone]

You know I can't help thinking that denying Russia into the WTO is one big energy supply disaster waiting to happen.

Russia has already shown its endgame plans by announcing trials of its own Oil Bourse. I get the impression that Russia will sit on the side waiting for the Middle Eastern market to go belly up, and when the time is right hold the World to ransom for the energy it can provide.

Quote the incident between Russia and the Ukraine as an example

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('LadyRuby', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ''')There is very little chance the American majors will win that tender now,'

[NEOPO]

Roger are you suggesting that Bush is a commie because if what Gazzatrone is suggesting is correct then they purposely kept Russia out of the deal so their "COMRADES" can hold us up by the nut hair folicles when the time is right!?!?!?
<cue dark side reprise music>
Holy shit you have cracked the code!!!
No wait..did I say that?
Bush is the "bankrupter"!!!

This "rant" about Putin and U.S. oil giants is just commie liberal america hatin' devil worshipping........ stuff!!!
USA #1!!! USA #1!!!
Savinar is the anti christ!!!!

[Grimnir]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', 'G')eorge W. Bush - the man with the reverse Midas touch.

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Grimnir', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', 'G')eorge W. Bush - the man with the reverse Midas touch.

[DantesPeak]

I gather that the US kicked sand in the face of the Russian bear, by not giving them WTO status, because only 1% of US oil imports come from Russia. This seems to ignore the fact Russia can make long term contracts, for example with China, and withdraw oil off the regular oil market.

Not to mention they may also just reduce exports in general. All actions which will raise the price of oil for everyone.

[Eli]

Old pootie poot seems like he is setting himself up to rule Russia for life. With all the killings of opposition figures and journalists he seems like he will stop and nothing to stay in power.

Also he is selling anti aircraft missiles to Iran, long term I think Europe is going to come under a lot of control of Russia because of European energy needs. This going to be a very lovely resource war indeed.

Vladimir Putin is one evil son of a bitch. Is anybody else concerned with what is going on in Russia or GWB still the source of everything bad?

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ritish authorities said large quantities of polonium 210, a radioactive isotope, had been discovered in Alexander Litvinenko's body.
"You may succeed in silencing one man. But a howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr. Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life," the ex-spy said in a statement read out by friends in front of the London hospital where he died overnight of organ failure.
"May God forgive you for what you have done, not only to me but to beloved Russia and its people."

[Eli]

Well looking at his actions I think Putin is a very dangerous character. He does not mind killing people and seems to like to use all the KGB tricks he has learned to take out his rivals.

Moronic people scream about how Bush wants to stay in power for ever meanwhile they don't say anything about a guy already doing it. If anything Putin is tightening his grip on Russia. Russia is picking there side to be on

That recent murder you linked to PMS and the murder of two journalists who have been critical got me to thinking about the threat Putin poses. He has already used his energy resources to put the screws to Georgia it is only a matter of time till he does the same to Europe.

[MacG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'V')ladimir Putin is one evil son of a bitch.

[NEOPO]

Putin is Russias Bush.
The war on Terror is the cold war is a mass manipulation.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'P')utin is Russias Bush.
The war on Terror is the cold war is a mass manipulation.

[Zardoz]

Putin plays a very nasty version of hardball. He is not to be messed with. However, is he all that much worse than so many other "leaders"? Is he worse than the Neocons who are directly responsible for the deaths and maiming of thousands of U.S. soldiers, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis?

Is he really any worse than our de facto president, Dick Cheney?

[PenultimateManStanding]

The US is an odd duck. I'm gonna start a new thread on this issue.

[Eli]

Well Zardos quite frankly I think Putin has the potential to be far worse.


Bush and Cheney are going to be out of power in two years but Putin will still be there solidifying his power.

[DesertBear2]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'W')ell Zardos quite frankly I think Putin has the potential to be far worse.

[NEOPO]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PenultimateManStanding', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', 'P')utin is Russias Bush.
The war on Terror is the cold war is a mass manipulation.

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NEOPO', '
')Strange Memories

I post this with the knowledge that a person like yourself will easily pick up on the many connections that will almost certainly elude the majority

"The kind of Peak - that never comes again..."

[chris-h]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6349287.stm

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'R')ussian President Vladimir Putin has attacked the United States for what he said was its "almost uncontained" use of force around the world.

America's "very dangerous" approach to global relations was fuelling a nuclear arms race, he told a security summit.