Accessibility links

Breaking News

Putin Says Foreigners Welcome In Shtokman Project


An offshore gas platform off the island of Sakhalin in the Russian Far East (ITAR-TASS) December 8, 2006 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says foreign investors are still welcome to take part in operations at Russia's Shtokman gas field if they came up with "interesting proposals."


In October, Russia's state-controlled monopoly Gazprom said it would develop the huge gas field on its own, after initially saying it was looking for foreign partners.


In an interview posted on the Kremlin website today, Putin said Gazprom had sought, but failed, to obtain greater access to markets in the United States and Europe in exchange for enabling foreign companies to take part in the project. But he said that the subject was not "definitively closed."


Russia's Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko made similar comments today, saying Russia has not received "adequate proposals" from foreign investors.


ChevronTexaco and ConocoPhillips of the United States and France's Total were among the major international companies interested in the project.


(AFP, AP, kremlin.ru)

RFE/RL In Russian

RFE/RL In Russian


UPDATED CONSTANTLY: Visit RFE/RL's Russian-language website, featuring news, analysis, features, streaming audio, and more, in Russian, from RFE/RL's Russian Service.


ARCHIVE

RFE/RL's English-language coverage of Russia.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG