LUKOIL IMPLICITLY THREATENS TURKEY.

If the West continues to oppose theflow of Central Asian and Caucasian oil through Russia because ofinstability in Chechnya, we can point to similar instability in easternTurkey, Lukoil president Vakhit Alikperov told a Moscow pressconference May 27. Lukoil is prepared to spend as much as it can,Alikperov said, on a project which may cost as much as $20 billion, torebuild the oil-related infrastructure in Chechnya to make sure thatthe pipeline goes through Russia. Alikperov’s comments show just howcommitted the Russian government, Lukoil’s main shareholder, is tostability in that region.

An Appointed Upper House?