U.S. Uneasy with German/Russian Pipeline Deal

[bescheid]

And so, Still much later after the deal is done, the US fall out continues to rain without much thunder.

The following is of: Alexander Gas und Oil Connections:

Volume 2, Issue #22 date: 09 November 2006

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US uneasy at Germany's pipeline deal with Russia
by Fidelius Schmid and Wolfgang Proissl in Brussels and Daniel Dombey in London

30-10-06 Germany's big gas pipeline deal with Russia has been criticised by a US official, in a sign of Washington's mounting unease about Berlin's ties with Moscow. Matthew Bryza, the US deputy assistant secretary of state for the Caucasus and southern Europe, indicated that the EUR 5 bn (£ 3.4 bn) Baltic Sea pipeline would deepen Europe's dependence on Russian gas.
"That project simply raises the question what diversification means when it comes to gas supply," Mr Bryza said. "If you live in Germany you do not want to go through what happened last winter with Ukraine [when Russia shut off the supply of gas]... I wonder as a US official how much diversification anybody can develop by having more pipelines into the same supplier."

Relations between Russia and the US are at one of their lowest ebbs since the Cold War, partly because of US support for the "colour revolutions" in the former Soviet states of Ukraine and Georgia. Washington is worried that Angela Merkel, German chancellor, is slipping from her intention to distance the German government more from Moscow than was the case under her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder.
US diplomats add that European states failed to give sufficient backing for Georgia when tensions between Tbilisi and Moscow recently rose because of a spy scandal.

Mr Bryza cautioned Russia not to cut off gas to Ukraine again or to do the same to Georgia, which was denied gas for about two weeks last winter after mysterious explosions damaged a pipeline. Mr Bryza echoed concerns voiced by some EU officials that the Baltic pipeline weakened European solidarity in negotiating with Moscow, particularly since it bypasses Poland.
German politicians maintain that the pipeline boosts the country's energy security by increasing the number of supply routes.

In comments seemingly aimed at Russia's Gazprom, Mr Bryza said: "Very often the monopolist will work to cut a specific deal with an individual country... If that happens it's much harder for Europe to stand together." He said Europe needed to work more with the Caspian area, and in particular Azerbaijan, if its dependency on Russian gas were not to soar.
He added that the US predicted that Russia would increase its share of Europe's gas market from 25 % today to 33 % within a decade, but that Azerbaijan could increase its exports to about a quarter of the Russian level.


Charles

[Eric]

Washington is about two seconds away from declaring a new Cold War and putting up another Iron Curtain.

[jimpres]

Eric,

I doubt there will be a new curtain anytime soon.

Jim

[bescheid]

Thank you Eric for your contribution. It is an interesting suggestion of the Americans erecting another iron curtain, but, appears not to be in their hands of endevear. And this is what p---ses them.

For it is in the hands of Euriopean control.

www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2006/10/10/putin_germany_to_distribute_gas/

Charles

[bescheid]

Thank you Jim for your inpute.

It would so seem you are in a situation of inbetween of which side of the curtain of tranquality or partition as to which would lay to your advantage. For on one side of the coin, you have the choice due to your American citizenship, to say nay, or by virtue of your choice of residence stay in Poland with your alien registration/residence visa.

How ever/which ever direction you deem as an advantege.

It is always a good thing to have an asset to draw upon in the case of a situation becoming sour.

Charles

[Eric]

I just re-read the article, and I have only one question as a result - How does this Russian-German deal affect the United States?

[bescheid]

ericdn said:

I just re-read the article, and I have only one question as a result - How does this Russian-German deal affect the United States?

Hello Eric, it is good to see you once again

Your question is a logical question. I had in reserve, an excellent analysis to provide, but, was blocked from duplicating the information in violation of US copyright laws {another master by another name}. But, did not preclude that of an over seas source, in this case, a Chinese source. Information is what it is, information regardless of the mouth it comes from.

As you have surmised, and as rightly so, petroleum supplies and source to various industrial nations, is the new holy grail. What ever it takes, get it......

In this case, it is about power, fuel energy, and politics.

As previously out lined, this project being of an enormous financial risk of undertaking. The needs of finance were placed at the door steps of various financial institutions including that of the US. As the silence was deafening, it was to the German banks to bear the risk and forward forth the needed assets, and it was so done.

Now after the fact, the fall out rains like a storm with complaints and concerns. The silence has turned into out cries of complaints and sour grapes.

www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HJ14Ag01.html


What is not being spoken, is a sensitive matter with the US concerns of partnership between that of Russia and China some what of the energy field at present, but, increase in trade and closer military cooperation on projects of mutual interest to both parties.

Now as you notice, this presents the past reasons of US interest at a high level in the areas of central Europe with recent arms sales.

It is a multi-point situation that must be viewed in a realistic manner. It is all about placement and manoeuvre.

Charles

[Eric]

I was reading a humorous article in a Russian newspaper the other day, and one thing I read describes our topic exactly -

In satire, "America is such an important country that nothing can be done anywhere in the world without infringing on America's internal interests."

[bujno]

jimpres said:

I doubt there will be a new curtain anytime soon.

Jim

Yes, but it seems that the project is yet another hallmark on the collision course between US and Russia. Berlin is just making Kremlin's every deepest neoimperialist dream come true. Even at the risk of endangering realtions with the US (which is no surprsie) or endangering the unity of EU (which was surprising).

[bescheid]

ericdn said:

I was reading a humorous article in a Russian newspaper the other day, and one thing I read describes our topic exactly -

In satire, "America is such an important country that nothing can be done anywhere in the world without infringing on America's internal interests."

Eric

This is known as the ripple effect. Within our known industrial world, is a mosaic construction of an interlayering international support structure. If one sector of this web is disturbed, it will give a known effect to the next sector, to the next sector and so on.

This ripple effect is a known value, and as such, can {would} be used by any nation to instigate an action beneficial to its wants and needs.

Charles

[jimpres]

Bujno,

Seems many like to push the US into some sort of conflect.
And I agree it is not good for the EU but may make a good alliance between
Russia and Germany. Sounds familiar.

jim

[bescheid]

bujno said:

jimpres said:

I doubt there will be a new curtain anytime soon.

Jim

Yes, but it seems that the project is yet another hallmark on the collision course between US and Russia. Berlin is just making Kremlin's every deepest neoimperialist dream come true. Even at the risk of endangering realtions with the US (which is no surprsie) or endangering the unity of EU (which was surprising).

bujno

You must keep a psychic on your payroll! Just this morning whilst doing the morning brief readings with the relation ship developing between Iran and that of Azerbaijan, with Russia as the catalyst. It is sure to p---s the us president and company.

It would so seem that Unified Energy Systems {Russian Electricity Monopoly} has announced the reduction from 300 megawatts to 60 megawatts export to Azerbaijan. And, with this, an announcement from Gazprom of reduction {cut} of gas {earth gas} supplies with the additional price increase of approximately 13%. This is the fall out from previous sales from Azerbaijan to Georgia against the wishes of the Russians. Officially this short fall has been made up with increase of domestic production.

With this, goes hand and hand with a mutual agreement between Iran and Russia on construction of two hydropower works on the Araz river.

Now to further the economic Mosaic of international interaction. Agreements have been completed for along with past gas/electrical energy sales {Iran to Georgia} will also go the same to Azerbaijan.

If you will remember some time past. The large up-roar over the nuclear power plant construction in Iran? Well, this is what it is about, a very large generating capacity complex. To supply electrical energy to not only neighbouring Iraq, but, export capacity to customers in neighbouring Asia and Russia.

Charles