Posted on 12/25/2006 8:26:26 AM PST by nctexan
Russia's use of energy supplies as a political weapon should be a wake-up call to Britain and the West to deal urgently with the threat, senior Conservatives said last night.
Liam Fox, the shadow defence secretary, stepped up Tory calls for a Nato-style "energy pact" after Gazprom, Russia's state-controlled energy giant, forced the pro-Western former Soviet republic of Georgia to accept a doubling of gas prices.
"While the West has been focused on the Middle East, we have seen the resurgence of Russian nationalism and a willingness to use natural resources as a political weapon," he said. "Given the nature of Russia's political leadership, this is hardly surprising. Following events in Ukraine, and now Georgia, it is high time for a wake-up call to western politicians. We have been warned."
Georgia declared the price increase "unacceptable" and "politically motivated" but was forced to accept when Russia threatened to cut off supplies. Last night the president of Azerbaijan, another former Soviet republic that is being asked to pay twice the price for its gas, accused the Russian company of "ugly" behaviour and said his country would not be bullied into accepting. President Ilham Aliev said that if Moscow insisted on doubling the price of gas to $230 (£117) per thousand cubic metres, Azerbaijan would be forced to "change the balance of power" and rely on its own oil reserves instead. That might mean restricting Azerbaijan's oil exports, which pass through Russia, in order to fuel domestic power stations, he said.
Although Azerbaijan produces only half the natural gas it needs, Mr Aliev told a Russian radio station, it would not give in to Moscow. "To take advantage of this deficiency is ugly," he said.
In the first sign of a regional backlash, he attacked Russia's use of energy as a tool of foreign policy, although he was careful not to name or criticise President Vladimir Putin personally. The price of oil and gas should "be a commercial matter", immune from attempts to "politicise it", Mr Aliev said.
Similar price spikes all over the world can be a problem, when a "single-source" supply is all you have coming into your country. Gazprom has the advantage, if you could call it that, of not having to compete with other suppliers in some of its markets.
This is as much of an internal problem the government of Georgia, as it is the external supplier with whom they have chosen to limit their negotiations.
No worries. Nancy Pelosi and the other braniacs of the left will have the answer to this.
So Russia demanding that Georgia pay an unsubsidized market price for its gas is bullying? I thought it was capitalism.
The US doesn't have anythign to worry about, there is enough oil in the oilsands of Alberta to supply the entire world for another hundred years. I think the US should invade Alberta and commandeer those resources.
they do
get out of your suv and get a bike
it has no trans fats and produces no global warming
are you kiddin? The dems are not sleeping, they're in a stinkin coma! can't be woken up http://sacredscoop.com
I agree we had better wake up. If only we had turned Patton loose on the Russians with German troops after WW2,we wouldnt be dealing with these people now.
Yep. Probably in that "First one hundred hours" thing. BTW anybody know how Nancypants four day coronation is going / went?
"when are we going to wake up to tapping our own resources including anwr...."
we have already awakened and realize that u.s. oil resources SHOULD be developed, but liberals (communists) have subverted the system to the point where a small minority of them thwart attempts to do so.
if any of you "environmentalists" are not not communists, please say so.
you environmentalists are such swine (the word is appropriate given your treachery) . you're too low in the food chain to stand up for what you believe in.....you have to hide behind something else because you're looking forward to a day of anarchy here in the states where you can wrest power with that "living constitution" you speak about.
(bunch of totalitarian, goose-stepping swine who won't come out of the closet and declare themselves......)
everyone knows what you're doing under the covers you treacherous pigs
and
But it has used its clout as a supplier of cut-price energy to try to force its neighbours into line on foreign and economic affairs
I interpet it as "Russia has used gas prices as political lever before but not now. Now it pursues economic aims only. If customer X pays $300 per unit another customer Y should pay something like that, say $230. If due to political reasons, Y payed $50, then what the producer does once it gets rid off political restraints? I'd rush to increase prices for Y up to the market level as quick as I can.
So, Europe has nothing to worry about just because Russia has increased the gas prices for a number of countries. Europe may worry if there's a shortage of gas, because Russia will take advantage of this, but this issue isn't of political nature.
Russia has only one gas producer and transporter and actively assisting it. This situation makes difficult to tell the Russian government from the Gasprom's board of directors, but this situation is nothing different from any major gas or oil producing country.
Russia will try to increase its revenues with both economic and political measures like banning any foreign producers from its pipe, or bying stakes in the Algerean gas fields, but the European countries can do something alike, acting together, if necessary.
Or had joined Hitler against the USSR in 1941.
Just one more reason we need about a dozen or so new nuclear power plants......YESTERDAY!
Gosh, I didn't think Europe had any energy problems. Simple solution: smaller cars. Just conserve more. Nevermind finding supplies on your own. Remember, Hydrogen has been "10 years out" now for 15 years. New supplies are just a waste of time. You know, why not tax carbon emissions? That will solve everyone's energy problem.
So what ever happened to Bush making deals with Russia for cheap oil
...zzzzzz....
Don't expect subsidized resources when your loyalties change.
Georgia's poked Russia in the eye a few times. They should expect to pay the price.
Uhhh, the Republican Party had all 3 branches for almost 6 years. Blaming the left at this point is not exactly accurate. Our guys didn't try. Hopefully they learn their lesson (I voted straight R)
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