BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture We keep coming back to oil

Polish oil concern "Orlen", Hungarian "MOL" and Czech "Slovneft" ready to fight back the Russian invasion ?
The long planned merge of these three companies should stop activities of Yukos, Sibneft and Slavneft (it's only accidental similarity with the name of the Czech group).

Sounds like a bad joke but it's the East-European reality !

Russia having the huge oil fields is looking now for some new markets for her petrochemical industry. In the long run it's rather impossible for Russian companies to sell crude oil only. Western petrol markets are already saturated, the only emerging markets seem to be the EU newcomers. One could say...a perfect compatibility. Russians got the oil - the former East-block comrades a growing market.

Unfortunately, due to the political reasons Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic are afraid of some Russian domination over the strategic sector and using oil as a tool of the East-European politics.
Until today Russian politicians weren't able to talk the ex-Comecone partners to do the profitable business. Still bad memorries of the "Big Brother's" approach ?
For sure the Yukos-story wasn't very helpful.
:rolling:

Oil is always a way to insert political pressure.
But Eastern Europeans need Russian market (because they can sell to Russia some producTs which they cannot sell anywhere else) - as well as Russia needs us - because Russia can sell some products just there - nowhere else.

We can complain (Poles, Hungarians, Fins) about Russia but we certainly need it.

I wonder how much private business Russia would really allow - after arresting the main businessmen there.

The Russian government has recently announced its desire to de-privatize the oil industry.

Outstanding poem below! I encourage all to see the Soviet film �Ballad of a Soldier (WW2)�on DVD:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B...product-details
Memorable excerpt:
Alyosha: �Comrade General, instead of a medal, may I please have a few days leave to see my mother?� Carl


From a forum:

A friend sent this to me....

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending
this to as many people as you can.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/12/29/001.html


Monday, Dec. 29, 2003. Page 1

Kremlin Playing Oil Game For Keeps
By Catherine Belton
Staff Writer


Eric Draper / bloomberg

Bush discussing developments in the Middle East with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah on March 30, after America invaded Iraq.

News of the July arrest of Yukos co-founder Platon Lebedev was greeted with disbelief and excitement in Saudi Arabia, a kingdom increasingly nervous about losing its market-maker status in the global oil industry to long-time rival Russia.

According to a source close to OPEC in Riyadh at the time, the Saudi royal family moved within days of the arrest to capitalize on the apparent sea change in Kremlin policy, approving the first official visit to Moscow by a crown prince in 71 years.

"The arrest was seen as confirmation that the Russian government was building a policy independent from the United States," the source said. "Before then, they feared Moscow was boosting oil output at Washington's bidding. They saw a window of opportunity to engage Russia in longer-term co-operation. They saw a sign that Russian government was moving to slow down production growth," he said.

"That level of dialogue would not occur if the Arabs did not see Russia as being independent from America." :rolling:

My Dear Skeeter,

As a member of the german citizenary from across the pond. My views are not always so much welcomed inregards to American views, but, they are my views freely given, but, perhaps not so freely taken in as such.

The Russians are if given an even playing field, very good trading people. They fairly often offer a very good terms in conditions of trade, very straight forward and with good terms. We here, have been enjoing for some years the fruits of their terms in trade agreements of natural gas (erd gas) if given an even chance, they will produce.

How well do I understand the American reluctance of Russian acceptance, but, politics aside, It is with good hope, you as an educated American will cast aside these political preferences for what is apparant and obvious.

This from across the pond

Karl

Karl,
It is not so much a reluctance by the American people but by the American government. And yes, they have their reasons.

The US oil companies do not like this one bit. It threatens their position with regrds to oil.

Now, who has just added Irag to the US oil reserve?
And who, if reelected will probably add Syrian and Iranian territory to the list. Well bless my soul. It looks like Haliburton all over again.

Interesting to note that today I read that a new security organization is in store for Iraq. Sponsored, trained and run by the CIA. Nice organization to have your roots into.

If I dissappear you know where to look.
<img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

sceeterj, interesting! Especially since CIA put Saddam in power & trained his sedcret police. Simply stated, USA oil importers buy Mideast oil cheap & sell it at a high profit on the world market. Carl

Dear Skeeter,

Thank you for your disclosure. It is not so much what is spoken, but, the meaning between lines of communication.

Karl

A most enlightening article. Very good reading.

Emerging triangles: Russia-Kazakhstan-China


http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/FA15Ag03.html <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />