A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Gazprom announces an agreement with Poland’s PGNiG to adjust gas prices and signs an asset-swap deal with BASFT Wintershall, but remains under pressure in Europe due to falling export volumes and the EU antimonopoly investigation
• Ukraine continues to press for reduced imports of Russian gas and receives first deliveries from RWE
• Gazprom appears set to expand its underground gas storage facilities and gas transmission capacity in Belarus
• Slovenia and Bulgaria confirm their final investment decisions for the South Stream project, as Gazprom’s partners also take the final investment decision on the offshore section, while Gazprom signs a new gas supply contract with Bulgargaz
• Turkish regulators approve Gazprom’s new long-term supply contracts with private Turkish energy companies
• Gazprom demonstrates the potential for shipping LNG from Europe to Japan as it charters the first LNG supertanker to traverse the Arctic during winter
• Novatek acquires 49 percent of Northgas, with Gazprom retaining its 51 percent stake in the company

• December 4, 2012

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin had talks in İstanbul on Friday, mainly focusing on the blossoming trade relationship during a one-day trip of the Russian president.

• December 3, 2012

The Iranian section of the gas field measures around 9 square kilometers in area. Iran has 18 oilfields, four gas fields, and six associated oil and gas fields shared with its neighboring countries. Iran attaches priority to boosting gas production capacity at its joint oilfields with Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

• December 3, 2012

The Indian navy is prepared to deploy vessels to the South China Sea to protect India's oil interests there, the navy chief said on Monday amid growing international fears over the potential for naval clashes in the disputed region.

• December 3, 2012

Access to the website of RFE/RL's Tajik service, Radio Ozodi, has been blocked in Tajikistan since last night, only days after authorities blocked Facebook inside the country.

• December 1, 2012

Russia is not delivering "destabilizing weapons" to Syria, even though there was no UN embargo in place, said the head of Russia's Presidential Administration on Friday.

• December 1, 2012

North Korea is to carry out its second rocket launch of 2012 as its youthful leader Kim Jong-un flexes his muscles a year after his father's death, in a move that will likely heighten diplomatic tensions and draw criticism from Washington.

• December 1, 2012

Russian-Iranian consultations on the Caspian Sea problems were held at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Nov. 29, the ministry's website reported. The Russian delegation was headed by the Special Representative of the Russian Federation's President, Ambassador-at-Large Igor Bratchikov, while the Iranian delegation was led by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Mehdi Akhundzadeh.

• November 30, 2012