RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN ROW COULD SERIOUSLY SOUR RUSSIA-WEST RELATIONS

The Jamestown Foundation (Eurasia Daily Monitor) ^ | October 6, 2006 | Igor Torbakov

[sergey1973]

The latest crisis in the chronically uneasy relationship between Moscow and Tbilisi is not likely to fizzle out any time soon, as the positions of the two sides appear to be irreconcilable. This poses a painful dilemma for the West: do the United States and the European Union want to make the fate of Georgia and its breakaway regions a central issue in their relationship with Russia?

[sergey1973]

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[george76]

Good.

Putin is not our friend.

[lizol]

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[Joe Boucher]

I had hope that russia would behave in the international theatre but they have proven to have progressed little since the days of Kruchev.

[RightWhale]

It's not a problem. We can have good relations with both Palestine and Israel, with both Pakistan and India, with both China and Taiwan, with both Georgia and Florida.

[george76]

Putin is helping Iran like in the bad old days.

Putin is arranging gas lines to go thru Russia so that he can hold Europe hostage...

and more.

[Red Badger]

Just what IS the row between them about?........

[Red Badger]

Georgia and Florida? LOL!!!!............but not in the Gator Bowl..........

[Walkingfeather]

Yeah they are so concerned that they dont supply hezbola with intelligence, arms and direction against our interests?

[sergey1973]

Honesty is the best policy. Hypocrisy is the most common one -:)))

[Joe Boucher]

Kind of the middle man power broker.

And if like many of the old soviet union if you act up, no soup for you.

[Thunder90]

Russia/Soviet/Coldwar2 PING!!!

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[george76]

Putin is also selling modern warships to Communist China.

Along with Clinton's missle technology deals, the Chinese navy will be a huge future problem, too.

and there is more.

[GSlob]

In other news: the second apple has fallen on the head of Sir Isaac Newton. 'This confirms the law of gravity', said the prominent scientist.

[G8 Diplomat]

RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN ROW COULD SERIOUSLY SOUR RUSSIA-WEST RELATIONS

Were'nt they already soured?

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

["Putin is helping Iran like in the bad old days. Putin is arranging gas lines to go thru Russia so that he can hold Europe hostage...and more."]

Yep, and specifically Poland...whom are getting ired.

[M. Espinola]

With winter's frigid temperatures soon on the way for the Trans-Caucasus region, will Czar Putin's wrath extend to blackmailing Georgia with natural gas cut offs in order to 'keep Georgia in line' with the Kremlin's geostrategic energy control agenda ?

Gas Facts

Natural Gas Map

• Ukraine consumes 70 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year. It produces 20 bcm of its own gas, has a signed contract to import 40 bcm from Turkmenistan, and in 2005 was getting 29 bcm from Russia as payment for transit of Russian gas.
• Ukraine sells some 7 bcm of gas a year to the West and places some in underground storage facilities. These facilities can hold 34.5 bcm.
• Ukraine is the sixth-largest consumer of gas in the world and uses more gas than Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia combined.
• Russia has proven gas reserves of 47 trillion cubic meters (tcm) -- the largest in the world ahead of Iran and Qatar.
• Russia sells approximately 160 bcm to Europe each year. By 2015, Europe is expected to import 300 bcm, or 40 percent of its projected needs from Russia.
• Russia's Gazprom is the world's largest gas company. It is the only company allowed by Russian law to export gas outside the borders of the CIS. It also owns the gas-transportation system and most of the gas fields in Russia.
• The Russian state is Gazprom's majority shareholder , with a 51 percent share. The company's ownership rights changed as of the beginning of 2006, with Gazprom stock being sold on the open market. The Russian state, however, will continue to hold the majority stake.

[Joe Boucher]

yeah but the pervert got reelected and that is what really matters isn't it?

[GarySpFc]

If it was the old Soviet Union, then Russia would not be pulling its troops out of the secessionist provinces.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov's announcement on Wednesday that Russia would expedite the withdrawal of its troops from Georgia could be a step in this direction.

By removing its troops, Moscow deprives Tbilisi of a major PR weapon and increases its own freedom of action in the country, Safranchuk said.