Posted on 02/26/2008 8:51:19 AM PST by BGHater
Russia and Serbia Monday signed an agreement to create a joint company that will build the Serbian stretch of the South Stream gas pipeline.
The new company would draft all details for the pipeline over the next 18 months, including the rights and obligations of the Russian-Serbian enterprise, according to the agreement signed by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and his Srbijagas counterpart Sasa Ilic.
"We allocate three months for the creation of the company, and another 18 months for the feasibility study," Gazprom's spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov told reporters in Belgrade.
"We expect construction to start no later than 24 months after the feasibility study has been completed," the spokesman added.
He said it is important to negotiate with all the countries participating in the pipeline project -- so far Russia, Italy, Bulgaria and Serbia, with Bosnia and Greece as possible partners -- "so that the feasibility study is integrated."
The 10-billion-euro (14.65-billion-U.S. dollar) South Stream project by Gazprom and Italy's ENI is designed to carry Siberian gas to Western Europe at a capacity of at least 10 billion cubic meters every year.
Taxes alone from the natural gas transit could bring an annual 200 million dollars to Serbia, where the pipeline is to run 400 km.
The signing ceremony was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is also Gazprom's chairman of the board of directors.
The deal formalizes a strategic agreement on oil and gas cooperation signed in Moscow on Jan. 25 by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbian President Boris Tadic.
Under the deal, Serbia joins the South Stream project and allows Gazprom to buy a controlling stake in the Serbian oil monopoly NIS. It is widely seen as a politically-motivated agreement in appreciation of Russia's support for Serbia on the issue of Kosovo.
Moscow is Belgrade's main ally in fighting the secession of its southern province and blocking recognition of its independence in world bodies.
Well, well, not just oil at stake in Serbia.
Doc Savage has called this one.
(And no, I wouldn’t trust Putin, either, but no choice in the matter)
Does the Serbia-Russia Empire have to file an EIS?
Savage nailed it again.
We drove Serbia into Russia's arms. Serbia turned itself inside out trying to please the West. Boris Tadic was even trained at the International Republican Institute, chaired by John McCain. The Serbs re-elected Tadic and we still screwed them.
This is and was our policy bungle. Russia was the only one who offered to support the Serbs when we were steamrolling them in favor of Albanian Islamists. What do you expect?
Do they have to file an EIS?
EIS? "Environmental Impact Statement"? How should I know? And your point is?
This thread is about the gas pipeline deal. The question is about the gas pipeline process not about driving Tito into the arms of Stalin.
The Oil factor in Kosovo independence (Questionable Sours?)
The question is about the gas pipeline process not about driving Tito into the arms of Stalin.
Really? Then quit with the snotty non-oil related editorializing.
I detest these Serbia threads. All my Kosovo Serb friends are dead and all we get is this BS anymore.
You had "Kosovo Serb friends"??? And Serb-bashing every chance you get is how you honor them?
They were pig-headed. Wouldn’t listen.
They were pig-headed. Wouldn’t listen.
Wouldn't listen to what? To how "right" it was that they had to be driven out of their ancestral homes? To how their freedom meant nothing to anyone except them? And this deserved "a death sentence"?
They were attacking just like the Albanians and wouldn’t see they were signing their death warrant. Acting just the same as their enemy as if it was okay for them. Doesn’t fly anymore. Take the deal.
You really make me laugh.
The last Serbian leader in accord with and willing to do anything in line with Western values was assassinated, his successors have failed to recognize the results of losing wars in Bosnia and Kosovo, and as a result can do nothing in the face of mobs of Serbian nationalists who still haven't clued in to the realities of post-Milosevic Balkans without fear of taking a bullet themselves.
If Russia wants Serbia, it can have it, although with the recent energy deal, it looks as if that decision has already been reached.
So were you KFOR or were you born over there?
Actually I have been there. I liked everybody. Everybody was friendly. They all had this weird thing about the other ones though. All of them. Not one with a lock on the total truth but plenty of opinion.
Much the same as FR -- but without the weapons.
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