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Russia resumes Turkmenistan gas imports
Published: 22 December, 2009, 10:17
Edited: 24 December, 2009, 12:12
Russia has agreed to resume gas imports from Turkmenistan, starting in January, after a new contract was signed in the presence of Russian and Turkmen Presidents who are meeting in Ashgabat on Tuesday.
@ Bianca, you wrote what I have thought for the past year, only not in such elegant terms. Russia keeps reminding me of the "Roadrunner" character from the old Looney Tunes cartoons, and the western financial powers (my country is one, alas) are playing the part of "Wile E. Coyote" - trying to catch Russia with very intricate traps that never quite work. Gravity sometimes fails to affect the Roadrunner, but it always operates for the Coyote, who usually gets caught in his own trap. The Coyote never learns, and it seems, neither do we.
I just enjoy reading the negative comments from the predictable stable of analysts who still do not get it. Perhaps their underwriters still do not get it. The thinking by Aleksandr Nazarov, Senior Analyst at IFC Metropol was predictable negative about the news. I just wish there is a betting pool, so the readers can bet on the positions of analysts. This one questions the ability of Gazprom to make any profit from resale of Turkmen gas, and adding that Turkmenistan has committed itself to China. I really get a giggle realizing how these smart analysts wiggle and foam, but cannot get any traction. The reason is, they are outsmarted --- and they know it. In today's Asia Times Online, M.A. Bhadrakumar noted the "quiet satisfaction" that was detectable in Prime Minister Putin's voice when commenting on Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline. And he has all the reasons for being ecstatic, but contained it for the camera. This event marks a new level of SCO quiet diplomacy. The pipeline is put in production, and the three presidents of the region were on hand: Turkmenistan, Kazahstan and Uzbekistan. China has quietly with Russia's even lighter touch, redefined the Silk Road. Now, Russia can just go back to pumping Turkmen gas. The "spat" between Turkmenistan and Russia served a very usefull role of throwing off scent those who believe that Russia and China are eyeing each other with suspicion, and have low levels of consultation. They have been proven wrong. Kazahstan has increased trade with China 400 percent in just few short years. And Kazahstan has just announced policy where no energy firm will get deals in the country, unless it commits to diversifying Kazahstans economy with other projects. China is already in Turkmenistan with construction, textile, medical services, telecommunications, infrastructure... Now, Europe Nabucco has no gas left, unless it opens to IRAN. Russia gains either way.