The Oil Drum: Gazprom and the G8

As the G8 finance ministers have been discussing the state-of-the-world, prior to the meeting of the principals in mid-July, our friends at Gazprom seem to be adding a little more sand to the gears of international diplomacy. The first problem that arises is, as has been noted by several of us over the past year, that Gazprom has been acquiring controlling interests in the distribution networks of an increasing number of countries. It has recently negotiated to take a share in the second gas pipeline to run from mainland Europe to the UK, and is trying to acquire Centrica, the British gas supply company. There is some resistance from the British Government to this move, though that is not universally supported in the UK. Now the second shoe is hanging, rather openly, in the air.
Much more after the jump to The Oil Drum.