The Moscow District Federal Arbitration Court has ordered oil company Russneft to pay $8.1 billion in back taxes. The amount includes 17 billion rubles in tax debts for 2005 and 3 billion rubles for 2003 and the first half of 2004. The decision “could open the door for Basic Element, owned by Kremlin-friendly tycoon Oleg Deripaska, which is bidding for Russneft, to acquire the company cheaper.” As a preliminary step to the formation of “a Gas OPEC” out of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Russia is preparing to create an organization of that type within the CIS following a proposal made by a lobbying group of giant Gazprom. More on a potential ‘Gas OPEC’. The countries involved will discuss the idea of forming such a group during their next meeting in June. Gazprom is moving aggressively into retail natural-gas markets in Europe, with plans to sell gas and power directly to consumers. One newspaper believes that Gazprom managed to take control of Serbia’s state-run oil and gas company “for a bargain price.” The company has signed a cooperation agreement with Austrian oil and gas company OMV. It is being reported that the company brokered the deal to ensure that From Russia, the controversial exhibition of Russian and French paintings which features Matisse’s Dance, went ahead at London’s Royal Academy.