Russia Sends Message to U.S. About Iraqi Oil Contracts

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/27/business/worldbusiness/27OIL.html?ex=1065240000&en=ec2eeb4b17adceef&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

The moment was a small but sweet victory for the Russian oil baron Vagit Y. Alekperov: the Getty gas station he bought in Manhattan three years ago was renamed yesterday after his own huge oil company, Lukoil, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was on hand to ring in the change, coffee cup in one hand and Krispy Kreme doughnut in the other. snip

But Mr. Alekperov's trip to the United States as part of Mr. Putin's entourage may partly be in the hope that the Bush administration could help Lukoil with a crucial oil interest outside Russia: the huge West Qurna field in Iraq.

Lukoil is among several foreign companies that negotiated contracts and memorandums of understanding with the government of Saddam Hussein to develop oil fields once United Nations sanctions were lifted. The sanctions are gone, but so is the old government. Lukoil, along with the other companies, now worry that the agreements they spent years and millions of dollars to develop will be abrogated by the new Iraqi authorities.

People close to Mr. Putin and Mr. Alekperov said that they expected Mr. Putin to raise the question of protecting the Russian oil contracts with President Bush during their weekend meeting at Camp David.

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[xray s]

1. probably why Poppy was in Russia visiting Putin last week

Its always about oil. Always.

[revcarol]

2. Wouldn't you love to see Bush's face

when the Russians say, "Hey, we had valid contracts with Iraq. We want a piece of the action."

Laura better put diapers on him before this meeting!!

And this meeting was billed by the press as "Russia is going to save us from evil OPEC by giving us all the oil we want-CHEAP!"

[Dover]

4. These contracts have been a point of contention for some time.

There are no surprises here.

[Dover]

3. George Sr. was just in Moscow on business...and I'm guessing

some deal with Lukoil was a part of it.

Still trying to understand why the media is discussing this whole issue of Iraq "paying us back" for our invasion through oil revenue, as though this idea was just put on the table for the first time.

And Bush is quoted as saying reluctantly that yes, we might need to do that in order to pay for the high costs of this "war".
Am I missing something? Didn't Bushco invade Iraq for the oil from the get-go with the expectation that it would pay our way into the Middle East?

Everything old is new again with these guys...

[Nottingham]

5. Words of advice to Putin! Ya deal with the Devil and your

gonna get screwed! :bounce:

[wtmusic]

6. * has already said he won't honor Saddam's debts

and the Lukoil contract is a debt, or liability.

Fat chance. If * wasn't so f*cking stupid he would include Russia.