Yukos oil supplies "have been suspended"

The Warsaw Business Journall ^ | 21st January 2005

[lizol]

This is what happens, when you trust any agreements with Russia and don't provide diversified sources.

This is the second similary event during last couple of years. The last one was the Belarussian crisis, when Russia wanted to bring Lukashenko back on the rigth tracks and cut off the gas pipe for some time.
Unfortunately - it was the same pipeline that was going to Poland. So - we were also cut off. And of course Russia refused to pay any compensations to Polish companies, that were harmed by this action - as they never pay anything to anybody. They simply never, ever harm anybody.

I think, that some journalists in Poland are right saying, that this is the first element of a "pay-check" that Russia is going to present to Poland for supporting Ukrainian "orange revolution".

But - as our pro-Russian trolls here on FR maintain - Russia is supposed to be a normal country, with a liberal economy and free market. Everyone must agree, that such an action is just a typical symptom of a free market, without any political influence of Mr ras-Putin and his KGB fellows(sarcasm, bloody hell!!!)

[lizol]

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[monkeywrench]

http://www.russiajournal.com/news/cnews-article.shtml?nd=47089 More info here.

[Lukasz]

What are you suggesting now? I’m sure that such democratic country like Russia with such intelligent president like Vladimir Putin would NEVER allow something similar to happen! For them contracts it saint things as in every democratic country! (and takeover of the Yukos it is for common good of the Russian people!) /sarcasm

[geedee]

Just as Russia is a horrible "business" partner . . . I think you'll find the U.S. is a GREAT business partner and any other kind of partner. We won't soon forget Poland supporting us when many others didn't. We make friends grudgingly . . . but, when made, we're dependable and loyal.

Rest assured, President Bush will help the Polish economy all he can. And I seem to remember that he has a few contacts in the oil business.

[elfman2]

Russia’s operating in a free market whether they like it or not. They pay a price in that market for repeatedly doing this. The price of their oil is a factor of the certainty that the buyer will get it. Now they’re the last supplier to be purchased from. And there’ll be times that they have to discount it to move it.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

This is Russia's end game. Oil or blackmail.

[Finalapproach29er]

Go-, the Russians are screwed up.

[jungleboy]

Russia is strong-arming "new" Europe.

[elfman2]

This is how Russia loses money by attempting to punish their opposition like this. From your link:

" The total volume of oil exports is therefore not expected to fall. However, market traders are reminded by what happened that events surrounding YUKOS led to higher risks connected with Russia's oil assets," experts note. "

[elfman2]

" This is Russia's end game. Oil or blackmail."

They’re as dependent on that oil as we are.

[Shady]

Pootie Poot is showing his true KGB colors. He is a dangerous man.

[68skylark]

Is this a minor matter that won't have much effect for the average Polish citizen? Or do you think this will have some impact for them? Hopefully the country can arrange for alternate supplies, and hopefully this won't cause a sharp jump in the cost of gasoline or heat, etc.

[JerseyHighlander]

At the same time Putin's Kremlin puts a trial balloon out to denounce the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. Like a bone to the dogs.

No other way to see it, this is an open declaration of economic blockade warfare.

[lizol]

Hopefully the country can arrange for alternate supplies, and hopefully this won't cause a sharp jump in the cost of gasoline or heat, etc.

This is the main problem.
The former Right-wing government wanted to sign a contract with Norwegians (Statoil company) to build a pipeline under Baltic Sea from Norway to Poland - to deliver oil from the Northern Sea. There were already some initial agreements signed. Such a solution would give us a real diversification of sources. In such a case, if Russians wanted to do something like they're doing now we could just tell them "go to hell".

But our stupid (or maybe bribed, or just traitors) post-Commies from the current Leftist government gave it up, because they considered Norwegian oil as being to expensive in comparison with the Russian (this was an official excuse).
And - due to that decision - about 90% of oil brought today by Poland comes from Russia. And this is not going to change for a long time - due to contracts signed with Russians.

And it is also very important, that Russians are going to build another oil pipeline going to the Western Europe. The first one is going through Poland and the planned one was also supposed to go the same way, just in a little bit different direction. But today Russians changed their plans and decided to build a pipeline under the Baltic Sea. This is going to cost them about 3 billion dollars more, but it will not go through Poland. After they comlpete it - they will have 2 pipelines - one going through Poland (and supplying my country) and another one - passing it by.

So you can imagine what's going to happen if the situation goes really bad. In case of some serious political conflict between Poland and Russia - Russians can easily shot down the first one and use just the second one - cutting us off the oil deliveries.

The other thing is, that if they complete the pipeline going under the Baltic Sea we'll never have a possibility to built one going to Norway. It's because of international regulations, that don't allow 2 different pipelines to cross under sea.

I'm telling you, I think that Polish politicians responsible for that should be braught to justice.

[lizol]

Some Polish politicians say, that in the past Russians were using thousands of tanks to subordinate other countries and today they're using the oil.
I fully agree with such a view.

[lizol]

Ping

[Grzegorz 246]

I agree with you. In my opinion If Russians won't start doing fair business with us, then we should buy oil from Norway, Iraq or Saudi Arabia even If it costs much more and destroy this pipeline from Russia.

[68skylark]

That's interesting. I think the U.S. gets the majority its oil delivered by ship. Maybe that's how Poland will get its oil in the future.

Let's hope we'll all be enjoying lots of cheap oil being shipped out of Iraq in the future -- that's the real reason we all went to war, don't you know! (end sarcasm)

[68skylark]

Some Polish politicians say, that in the past Russians were using thousands of tanks to subordinate other countries and today they're using the oil. I fully agree with such a view.

Well, they can't kill as many people by screwing around with your oil supplies. So I guess it's a good thing that they've switched to new tactics!