The Oil Drum: Europe | Ukraine-Russia gas spat: some background and context

40 comments on Ukraine-Russia gas spat: some background and context

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Jerome a Paris on January 3, 2009 - 11:26am

Indeed. But doing this would eliminate the possibility of the Trade. Someone is working hard to avoid that outcome...

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paal myrtvedt on January 3, 2009 - 2:42pm

Why would this eliminate the possibility of the Trade?

IMO it would simplify the trade, seen from Russia’s point of view - talk and negotiate with only ONE counterpart.
EU will have to "guarantee/subsidize" Ukraine every once in a while to ensure their access to nat.gas, but that comes with the concept- no ?
After all the nat.gas trunk pipes is sitting on Ukrainian soil – and that is something of real value IMO

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Bl4ckVo1d on January 3, 2009 - 4:00pm

It would be hard to do this under the watch of EU officials. According to the article parts of the Russian elite also benefit from this Trade, why would they want to ruin it?

I am always amazed though by the idea that such corruption is only possible in the East. I believe the same level of corruption is present in most places, but it is much better hidden in the West. And in some cases it is blatantly obvious even in the West. Think Haliburton.

The main difference between the West and East lies in the depth of corruption. In the East you can easily bribe an official or a policeman as an average citizen. In the West corruption is mostly limited to the top of the power pyramid.

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