A Perspective on Russia.

[Kirkhill]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5403074.stm

Fair Dealings Provision of the Copyright Act etc.

I know that commentary is expected  but lacking knowledge I wanted to see if some of the other folks round about here could comment.

Fox warns over Russian military 

Liam Fox says Russia is stepping up defence spending

The UK underestimates the threat to its future security posed by Russia, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has warned.
Addressing a fringe meeting at the Conservative Party conference, Dr Fox claimed Russia was increasing its defence spending this year by 25%.

It was also testing more long range missiles and pouring money into two naval bases in Syria, he added.

That, together with Iran's military build-up, justified replacing Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system.

Dr Fox said the Tories were committed to replacing Trident nuclear weapons and, with so much uncertainty in the world, he warned against embarking on a "potentially lethal experiment in unilateral disarmament".

He said Iran and Russia pose the most serious "potential threats to our interests".

Missiles

He said Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken recently "of having armed forces capable of fighting a global, regional and, if necessary, a few local conflicts".

The shadow minister said he had been "amazed" by how little coverage Russia's new military build-up has received in the Western media.

He said the country was spending 25% more on defence this year than last year and is testing new inter-continental ballistic missiles, and ordering new frigates for its navy, equipped with cruise missiles.

The Russians have also reportedly invested in two Syrian ports, he added.

If they switch their Black Sea fleet there it would be their first Mediterranean base since the 1950s, said Dr Fox, who repeated his warning in a speech in the main conference hall at the Bournemouth conference centre.

'Influence'

He also said that, along with North Korea and China, Russia had helped Iran to develop ballistic missiles with a range up to 4,000 kilometres which "could attack US and British forces in the region".

And he warned of the economic power being wielded by Russian gas giant Gazprom, which he said was controlled by "extremely questionable oligarchs and politicians".

If President Putin went on to be the head of Gazprom after stepping down as Russian president, he would be able to wield a "great deal of influence" over neighbouring states, Dr Fox told the meeting.

"It might turn out President Putin is a cuddly bunny. It might turn out that he is not. We should be in the risk business," he added.

 

[couchcommander]

On top of the increased defence spending they have almost completed rationalizing their armed forces, especially their Navy, though of course there is still more that could be done, especially in terms of their land forces. Regardless this has allowed them the resources to properly invest in their current holdings (to a point of course), as well as start development on the next generation of weapons systems. One must realize they are basically starting off where the Soviet Union left things in the late 80's, but surprisingly they are not that behind. Given 5-10 years they will be producing top notch weapon systems, and unfortunately for us, at a fraction of the cost of American ones.

.02 anywho

 

[geo]

Am confused.... talking about access to Syrian ports and Mediteranean bases in the same sentence.....

Since when did Syria have a port on the Med (Excluding Lebanon?)

 

[Kirkhill]

How about Al Ladiqiyah?

Geography


 
 
City 

Located in
Syria
Also known as
Ladikis
Laodicea
Latakia
Population
303,000 (1994 estimate)


Al Ladhiqiyah, capital of Mintaqat al Ladhiqiyah governate in northwest Syria, serves as the trading center for the surrounding agricultural region, which is famous for its tobacco. Situated on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the city is a leading seaport through which Syrians export cotton, fruits, and tobacco.

Probably founded in the 3rd century BC, Al Ladhiqiyah was ruled by the Phoenicians and Romans and later was occupied at various times by the Byzantines, Crusaders, Arabs, Turks, and French. In AD 1942 Al Ladhiqiyah was incorporated into Syria.
© & (p) 1995-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. 


© 1988-1998 Microsoft and/or its suppliers.  All rights reserved.

 

[3rd Herd]

"And he warned of the economic power being wielded by Russian gas giant Gazprom, which he said was controlled by "extremely questionable oligarchs and politicians".

There have been several articles in recent business sections of various papers surrounding the levying of fines for environmental pollution by the Shell2 project and I do seem to remember a recent negotiation between Russia and Greece over an oil/natural gas pipeline to avoid the Black Sea and Turkey. A second reason for this completion was to avoid more "environmental pollution" by tankers in the Black sea. The use of the environmental argument seems to have caught many off guard. Are we seeing a rise in Russian nationalism.

 

[geo]

Whups.... stand corrected.............
must be a mental fart..... yup, Syria is landlocked on all other sides anyway

 

[Kirkhill]

Early onset alzheimers is a terrible thing. 

Add caffeine.

 

[GAP]

Early onset alzheimers is a terrible thing. 
Add caffeine.

and stop chewing on aluminum pots!!!

 

[geo]

.... T'was those old aluminium mess tins we all used to have.....
(the ones that made better shovels)

 

[Bigmac]

Russia clinches Balkan oil deal

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a deal in Athens to ship Russian oil to the EU via a pipeline bypassing the busy Bosphorus.
The 285km (178-mile) pipeline will go overland from Bulgaria's Black Sea port of Burgas to the northern Greek town of Alexandroupolis on the Aegean Sea.

The deal caps negotiations that have lasted 13 years.

A Russian consortium will hold a 51% stake in the pipeline. It is expected to be ready in three years' time.

The consortium brings together state oil firm Rosneft, pipeline monopoly Transneft and a subsidiary of gas giant Gazprom. Bulgaria and Greece will each have 24.5% stakes.

Prime Ministers Costas Karamanlis of Greece and Sergei Stanishev of Bulgaria joined Mr Putin at the signing ceremony in the Greek capital.

The pipeline project's estimated cost is 900m euros (£616m; $1.2bn).

Russian tankers are frequently held up for 10 days at a time as they wait to navigate Turkey's narrow, congested Bosphorus and Dardenelles Straits.

The removal of these delays should help to bring oil costs down, the BBC's Malcolm Brabant reports from Athens.

Pipeline diplomacy is helping to reassert Russian influence in the region, he says.

Earlier this month a senior US State Department official, Matthew Bryza, was in Athens and congratulated the three signatories to the pipeline accord.

He said the more oil that reached global markets the better. But Mr Bryza added that the United States was concerned that Europe could become too reliant on the Russian energy giant Gazprom as a source of natural gas.

At least one third of Russian oil exports currently leave by tanker via the Black Sea and Bosphorus Strait.

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6453153.stm

    Great news for Russia. I don't know if it is in the best interest of the EU to depend on Russia for the majority of their oil? The US is not protesting very much. I wonder what the backdoor deals are? Things that make you go hmmmmm? ???

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

Russia has made overtures to both Algeria and Qatar about creating an LNG cartel similar to OPEC.

Short Version:  If I were Western Europe, I'd be getting ready to open my wallet because Russia is about to become very demanding.


Matthew.   

 

[sober_ruski]

That or not building any more bases around their borders.

Or both.

I wouldnt be surprised as to why they are doing it.
According to CIA (yes, CIA) "In 2006, Russia's GDP grew 6.6%, while inflation was below 10% for the first time in the past 10 years. " Economy is recovering, armed forces are getting a chunk of it. Also increased spending helps with changing from draft system to a contract based professional force, more money=more people.

 

[3rd Herd]

Short Version:  If I were Western Europe, I'd be getting ready to open my wallet because Russia is about to become very demanding.

Matthew.   

Certainly was last night on CBC.

 

[Bigmac]

New Russian pipeline will ease congestion

Tony Halpin, Moscow
17mar07

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin tightened Russia's grip on European energy markets by striking a $US1.25 billion ($1.58 billion) deal to build an oil pipeline across Bulgaria and Greece.

The trans-Balkan pipeline will pump oil from the Bulgarian port of Burgas to the Greek city of Alexandroupolis on the Aegean, easing shipping congestion in the Bosporus Strait and giving Russia direct access to the Mediterranean.
The agreement, signed in Athens by Mr Putin and the Prime Ministers of Greece and Bulgaria, Costas Karamanlis and Sergei Stanishev, ends 13 years of negotiations over a project first conceived in 1994.

The 279km pipeline will carry 35 million tonnes of oil a year when it opens in 2009, with the potential to rise to 50 million tonnes. Russian oil delivered by tankers in the Black Sea will be pumped to the Mediterranean for sale to Europe, the US and Asia.

Tanker delays in Turkey's Bosporus Strait cost oil companies about $US1 billion annually, with ships frequently held up for 10 days or more. Russia will control the new pipeline, owning a 51 per cent stake through the state companies Rosneft, Gazprom and Transneft, with Greece and Bulgaria sharing 49 per cent.

Russia provides the EU with a third of its oil and 40 per cent of its natural gas. The pipeline deal will entrench its market dominance, but Mr Putin insisted that all countries would benefit from a strengthened supply network.

Greece and Bulgaria will earn tens of millions of dollars in transit fees from the pipeline, while improving energy security through the construction of storage facilities.

"The entire global energy market is interested in this project," Mr Putin said. "The sooner we begin, the better."

Greece views the trans-Balkan pipeline as being key to its ambition to become a regional energy hub. A Turkish-Greek-Italian pipeline delivering natural gas to Europe from the Caspian and the Middle East begins operating next year.

Mr Putin indicated that the project would boost links with US companies and others developing oil reserves in the Caspian.

The US hopes that the pipeline will provide opportunities to expand the route operated by the Chevron-led Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which delivers oil from the Caspian to the Black Sea.

Russia also plans a new pipeline to bypass its neighbour Belarus and prevent a repeat of January's interruption of oil supplies to the EU.

Gazprom's reputation was dented when it closed the Druzhba pipeline through Belarus in a dispute over customs duties.

The Times

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,21393665,00.html

    Well this certainly explains why the US is not protesting very much. US oil companies will undoubtedly win lucrative contracts helping to build the pipeline as well as striking deals to export oil to the US at lower cost than from OPEC. Why isn't Canada getting a piece of this action?

 

[Adrian_888]

Russia is still our ally right?  Whats wrong with them getting stronger?

 

[rz350]

Russia is still our ally right?  Whats wrong with them getting stronger?

the problem is a lot of people seem to think that the Russian Federation is actually still the Russian Socialist federal republic from the USSR days, and thus they are still stuck in a world of T80's coming though Berlin, instead of catching up with the modern times.

 

[sober_ruski]

the problem is a lot of people seem to think that the Russian Federation is actually still the Russian Socialist federal republic from the USSR days, and thus they are still stuck in a world of T80's coming though Berlin, instead of catching up with the modern times.

Agreed. T80's wont be coming through Berlin...















... it will be T90's or T95's  ;D

I kiddddd  :blotto:

 

[Bigmac]

Mar. 16, 2007

The U.S. Creates Alternative to Russia’s Pipelines

The United States is creating in Europe an alternative to Russia’s pipelines to diversify gas supplies and reduce dependence on Gazprom, said Daniel Fried, U.S. assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.
Fried emphasized that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline was built with the U.S. assistance. It was put into operation in July 2006, and the accompanying facility, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline, will be launched in the near term to deliver natural gas from Azerbaijan to Georgia and Turkey.

The trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Kazakhstan and, perhaps, from Turkmenistan, could be connected to BTE in the following ten years, Fried said. Moreover, the United States has set to three-party negotiations with Turkey and Iraq to develop gas fields of northern Iraq for exports to Europe via Turkey. The above projects will form the southern corridor, which is expected to challenge the European pipelines of Gazprom.

The timing of Fried’s rhetoric is interesting. The U.S. expert made his statement next day after the intergovernmental agreement of Russia, Greece and Bulgaria was sealed in Athens. The document spells out construction of crude oil pipeline from Bulgarian Burgas to Greek Alexandropoulos that will emerge as an alternative route of crude oil exports for deliveries via the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits.

http://www.kommersant.com/p-10330/pipeline__alternative/

      It looks like the US is working on it's own pipeline as well to compete with Russia. I am trying not to be sceptical as to why the US invaded Iraq but developments like this make it difficult.

 

[Centurian1985]

Russia is still our ally right?  Whats wrong with them getting stronger?

Sigh.... what makes you think they are our 'ally'? 

At the very best they are an aggressive 'formerly hostile' country that is still 'discretely hostile' upon occasion.     

 

[rz350]

Sigh.... what makes you think they are our 'ally'? 

At the very best they are an aggressive 'formerly hostile' country that is still 'discretely hostile' upon occasion.     

Canada Russia relations seem to be fairly neutral to slightly friendly, at least one gathers from the department of foreign affairs...you know, the diplomatic types from our government who do that kind of stuff for a living. http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canada-europa/mundi/country_rus_c-en.asp

Not allies...but not hostile.