YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK -- Foreign oil majors and state officials squared off on Sakhalin Island on Wednesday, with Shell and ExxonMobil insisting that work on the island's prized oil and gas fields was continuing as usual despite increasing state pressure on the multibillion-dollar projects.
President Vladimir Putin also weighed in on the debate, warning in televised remarks that the government would take appropriate measures against any oil firm breaching its license.
His comments came just hours after the opening of the 10th Sakhalin Oil and Gas Conference, where Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sought to assuage fears that threats to halt work at Shell's Sakhalin-2 venture could be part of a wider campaign to give Russian state companies a bigger role in foreign-run oil and gas projects.
"There are no grounds for the opinion that foreign investors are being forced out of the fuel and energy sector," Lavrov said.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/09/28/001.html
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