Latest articles from Vladimir Socor
Hungary’s MOL Driving Efforts to Interconnect Gas Markets
On March 3 the Hungarian gas transmission operator FGSZ—a subsidiary of MOL, the Hungarian oil and gas company—signed a contract with Croatia's state pipeline operator Plinacro to build an interconnector gas pipeline between the two countries. The project fits within MOL's strategy of promoting construction... MORE
Turkey’s Stalling on Nabucco Hurts Europe, Azerbaijan, and Itself: Part Two
Ankara's stalling tactics in the negotiations on the Western-backed Nabucco project (see EDM, March 4) are partly inspired by the AKP government's vision of a strategic partnership with Russia. Turkish officials have from time to time mooted the inclusion of Gazprom in the Nabucco project.... MORE
Turkey’s Stalling on Nabucco Hurts Europe, Azerbaijan, and Itself: Part One
During the recent Nabucco summit in Budapest on January 26 and 27 (see EDM, January 29, 30), EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs underscored the importance of signing the intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco project by the time of the European Union's summit, to be hosted... MORE
Lavrov Offers to Unfreeze Transnistria Negotiations on Eve of Moldova’s Elections
On February 24 and 25, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov undertook a landmark visit to Moldova, in preparation for a possible meeting among Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, and Transnistria's Moscow-installed leader Igor Smirnov next month. The ostensible goal is... MORE
NATO-Ukraine Partnership Hobbled Ahead of NATO’s Anniversary Summit
NATO's most ambitious, most highly developed, and for a time most promising partnership, the one with Ukraine, is sliding backward despite efforts at NATO headquarters to keep it on track. Ukrainian authorities and certain West European governments within NATO share responsibility for the backsliding. The... MORE
NATO Deliberates on Strategic Concept and Relations with Russia
NATO will hold its 60th anniversary summit from April 2 to 4 on both sides of the Franco-German border. The summit is expected to adopt a basic document on NATO's Strategic Concept, to be finalized after the anniversary event and replace the existing, decade-old Strategic... MORE
NATO’s Response Force, Other Planned Capabilities Stillborn
NATO's crisis symptoms are multiplying in the run-up to the Alliance's 60th anniversary summit, scheduled to be held from April 2 to 4 on both sides of the Franco-German border. The crisis is unacknowledged, much less addressed in any systematic way, by allied leaders in... MORE
Russia Enters Global LNG Market Thanks to Foreign-Built Plant
Russia's first-ever plant for liquefied natural gas (LNG) was inaugurated near Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on February 18 in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Britain's Prince Andrew, Netherlands Economic Affairs Minister Maria van der Hoeven, and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. The plant will process gas... MORE
Oil-for-Loans Deal Will Increase Russian Oil Deliveries to China
On February 17 and 18 Russia made its entrance as a significant supplier of oil and gas to Asian countries. Natural gas earmarked for Japan and South Korea came on stream at Russia's first-ever, foreign-built liquefaction plant; and, in a parallel move, Russia signed a... MORE
Nord Stream in the Russo-German Special Relationship
A former Stasi (East German secret police) officer and current Nord Stream general manager Matthias Warnig traveled around the world this week to promote that Russo-German gas transport project on the Baltic seabed. Warnig now also serves as an "independent member" of the board of... MORE