Month: September 2009

September 22, 2009

Guinea vs. Russia : Caveat Emptor

I don’t know why I’m so fixated on this but I just am – the FT is carrying the latest in the Guinea expropriate-the-expropriator saga. Amidst all the back-and-forth on taxes, rights, payments, “causes for concern”, &#...
September 22, 2009

Energy Blast – September 22, 2009

The new CEO of TNK-BP will apparently be chosen by the end of the year, energy mogul Viktor Vekselberg has announced.  The Telegraph examines Total chief Christophe de Margerie’s belief that oil prices may rocket back up to the $100 mar...
September 22, 2009

Today in Russian Business – September 22, 2009

According to Bloomberg, Russia will soon recommence asset sales to offset its first budget deficit in ten years.  Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakunin told the Reuters Russia Investment Summit that the state will need an even bigger role in...
September 22, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – September 22, 2009

TODAY: Chief of staff denies decisions on Kaliningrad plan; Churkin criticizes US ‘cold war attitude’; arms reduction talks not progressing as smoothly as they may appear.  Israel maintains choice in Iran; Russia suggests onus on ...
September 21, 2009

Energy Blast – September 21, 2009

Reuters reports that next week Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with global oil giants on how to exploit gas reserves on the Arctic Yamal peninsula.  Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev has told Reuters that Russia will consider easing ...
September 21, 2009

Today in Russian Business – September 21, 2009

The Washington Post reports that Prime Minister Putin told businessmen at the Sochi investment forum that the Russian economy is ‘totally underinvested’ and lamented ‘uncontrolled’ US debt.  Russia’s participatio...
September 21, 2009

RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – September 21, 2009

TODAY: Obama firm on reasons for missile defense decision; Medvedev and Putin seem to take it as a positive sign; Putin wishes to see trade the next barrier broken; Russia will abandon Kaliningrad missile plans.  Pressure mounting regarding I...
September 20, 2009

How Not to Begin an Interview

A lesson in media relations from Vladimir Putin: The world’s economic crisis does not seem to have been unkind to you, Vladimir Putin notes as we sit down to a lunch that begins with calf’s tail in aspic. “You all look well fed, ...