Nord Stream, Sweden and Baltic Sea Security
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Geopolitical Impact on Transformation of Territorial Organization of Russian Pipeline Transport in the Post-Soviet Time
International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy ISSN: 2146-4553 available at http: www.econjournals.com International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 2016, 6(4), 782-788. Geopolitical Impact on Transformation of Territorial Organization of Russian Pipeline Transport in the Post-Soviet Time Tatyana I. Pototskaya1*, Alexander P. Katrovskiy2, Vladimir I. Chasovskiy3 1Department of Geography, Natural-Geographical Faculty, Smolensk State University, Smolensk Oblast, Russia, 2Department of Service and Tourism, Smolensk Humanitarian University, Smolensk, Russia, 3Department of Geography, Land Use and Spatial Planning, Institute of Environmental Management, Territorial Development and Urban Construction, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Russia. *Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The article presents the research on transformation of territorial organization of Russian pipeline transport in the post-Soviet time, considering its relations with neighbouring countries. The research identifies general ways of such transformation: The influence of Russia’s desire to escape from the dictate of the transit countries exporting energy; the impact of Russia’s struggle for the transportation of gas and oil extracted in the Caspian Sea basin; the influence of the struggle for the transportation of oil and gas in the Asia-Pacific region. A new database including the main pipelines and sea ports in Russia, revealed correlations in the development of pipeline transport in the post-Soviet period with the development of infrastructure of the country’s sea transport. The article identifies positive changes in the transport infrastructure (construction of Russian alternative pipeline projects), which will reduce the degree of Russian dependence on relations with neighbouring countries, as well as negative changes (construction of alternative Russian pipeline projects). -
Russian Oil and Gas Challenges
Order Code RL33212 Russian Oil and Gas Challenges Updated June 20, 2007 Robert Pirog Specialist in Energy Economics and Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Russian Oil and Gas Challenges Summary Russia is a major player in world energy markets. It has more proven natural gas reserves than any other country, is among the top ten in proven oil reserves, is the largest exporter of natural gas, the second largest oil exporter, and the third largest energy consumer. Energy exports have been a major driver of Russia’s economic growth over the last five years, as Russian oil production has risen strongly and world oil prices have been very high. This type of growth has made the Russian economy dependent on oil and natural gas exports and vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. The Russian government has moved to take control of the country’s energy supplies. It broke up the previously large energy company Yukos and acquired its main oil production subsidiary. The Duma voted to give Gazprom, the state- controlled natural gas monopoly the exclusive right to export natural gas; Russia moved to limit participation by foreign companies in oil and gas production and Gazprom gained majority control of the Sakhalin energy projects. Russia has agreed with Germany to supply Germany and, eventually, the UK by building a natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine and Poland. In late 2006 and early 2007, Russia cut off and/or threatened to cut off gas or oil supplies going to and/or through Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Belarus in the context of price and/or transit negotiations — actions that damaged its reputation as a reliable energy supplier. -
Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security
RUSSIA: ARMS CONTROL, DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IMEMO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE RUSSIAN EDITION OF THE SIPRI YEARBOOK 2004 Institute of World Economy and International Relations RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE OF WORLD ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (IMEMO) RUSSIA: ARMS CONTROL, DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IMEMO SUPPLEMENT TO THE RUSSIAN EDITION OF THE SIPRI YEARBOOK 2004 Compiled and edited by ALEXANDRE KALIADINE AND ALEXEI ARBATOV Moscow 2005 УДК 327 ББК 64.4 (0) Rus 95 Rus 95 Russia: arms control, disarmament and international security/ IMEMO supplement to the Russian edition of the SIPRI Yearbook 2004 / Compiled and edited by A. Kaliadine, A. Arbatov. IMEMO, 2005. – 128 p. ISBN 5-9535-0038-6 Your comments and requests for obtaining the book should be sent to: IMEMO 23, Profsoyuznaya str., Moscow GSP-7, 117997 Russian Federation Telephone: (+7 095) 128 05 13 Telefax: (+7 095) 128 65 75 E-mail: [email protected] Internet URL:: http://www.imemo.ru ISBN 5-9535-0038-6 © ИМЭМО РАН, 2005 CONTENTS PREFACE........................................................................................... 5 ACRONYMS ...................................................................................... 7 PART I. ANALYSES, FORECASTS, DISCUSSIONS 1. PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS: NEW THREATS, NEW SO LUTIONS. Alexei ARBATOV ................ 13 Nuclear deterrence and terrorism: the prospect of terrorists coming into possession of nuclear weapons....................................................... 14 Synergy of proliferation -
Argus Nefte Transport
Argus Nefte Transport Oil transportation logistics in the former Soviet Union Volume XVI, 5, May 2017 Primorsk loads first 100,000t diesel cargo Russia’s main outlet for 10ppm diesel exports, the Baltic port of Primorsk, shipped a 100,000t cargo for the first time this month. The diesel was loaded on 4 May on the 113,300t Dong-A Thetis, owned by the South Korean shipping company Dong-A Tanker. The 100,000t cargo of Rosneft product was sold to trading company Vitol for delivery to the Amsterdam-Rotter- dam-Antwerp region, a market participant says. The Dong-A Thetis was loaded at Russian pipeline crude exports berth 3 or 4 — which can handle crude and diesel following a recent upgrade, and mn b/d can accommodate 90,000-150,000t vessels with 15.5m draught. 6.0 Transit crude Russian crude It remains unclear whether larger loadings at Primorsk will become a regular 5.0 occurrence. “Smaller 50,000-60,000t cargoes are more popular and the terminal 4.0 does not always have the opportunity to stockpile larger quantities of diesel for 3.0 export,” a source familiar with operations at the outlet says. But the loading is significant considering the planned 10mn t/yr capacity 2.0 addition to the 15mn t/yr Sever diesel pipeline by 2018. Expansion to 25mn t/yr 1.0 will enable Transneft to divert more diesel to its pipeline system from ports in 0.0 Apr Jul Oct Jan Apr the Baltic states, in particular from the pipeline to the Latvian port of Ventspils. -
Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and Sweden by Sven Hirdman
KUNGL KRIGSVETENSKAPSAKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR OCH TIDSKRIFT DISKUSSION & DEBATT Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and Sweden by Sven Hirdman ormer Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei The relations between Sweden and the FGromyko, whose 100th birthday is Soviet Union got on to a new footing commemorated this year, had several con- when, in April 1956, Prime Minister Tage tacts with Sweden from 1948 until 1984. Erlander and his coalition partner Minister To Swedish diplomats he was a very well- for the Interior, Gunnar Hedlund, paid known figure and, I would say, a respected an official visit to the Soviet Union – the statesman. I met him on a few occasions, first ever by a Swedish Prime Minister. As as described below. First Deputy Foreign Minister, Gromyko Andrei Gromyko’s first contact with should have participated in this event. Sweden was in 1948. He was then the So- Substantial talks took place with the Soviet viet Representative to the United Nations. Government, led by Nikita Khrushchev Suddenly, he had to return to Moscow for and Nikolai Bulganin, on international is- family reasons and boarded the Swedish sues and on Swedish – Russian relations, Atlantic liner Gripsholm, being the fastest including the well-known Raoul Wallen- connection. Had he, as originally planned, berg case. A year later, in February 1957, taken the Soviet ship Pobeda, he would it was Gromyko who handed the Swedish have suffered disaster, as the Pobeda Ambassador in Moscow, Mr Rolf Sohl- caught fire in the Black Sea and many pe- man, a note saying that Wallenberg had ople died. Gromyko describes the incident died in the Lyubyanka prison in July 1947. -
The Kosovo Report
THE KOSOVO REPORT CONFLICT v INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE v LESSONS LEARNED v THE INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON KOSOVO 1 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford Executive Summary • 1 It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, Address by former President Nelson Mandela • 14 and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Map of Kosovo • 18 Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogotá Buenos Aires Calcutta Introduction • 19 Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris São Paulo Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw PART I: WHAT HAPPENED? with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Preface • 29 Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the uk and in certain other countries 1. The Origins of the Kosovo Crisis • 33 Published in the United States 2. Internal Armed Conflict: February 1998–March 1999 •67 by Oxford University Press Inc., New York 3. International War Supervenes: March 1999–June 1999 • 85 © Oxford University Press 2000 4. Kosovo under United Nations Rule • 99 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) PART II: ANALYSIS First published 2000 5. The Diplomatic Dimension • 131 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, 6. International Law and Humanitarian Intervention • 163 without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, 7. Humanitarian Organizations and the Role of Media • 201 or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organisation. -
Chapter 4. Oil and Gas Accidents – Prevention and Liquidation
Chapter 4. Oil and gas accidents – prevention and liquidation. In this chapter we take a theoretical approach towards accidents and incidents. This reason is twofold: In Soviet times, statistics were often used as political tools, and this makes it difficult to make a completely reliable analysis. To a certain extent, this legacy still applies to Russia today. We are therefore careful not to use too many official statistics. Secondly, there is still little offshore activity in Arctic waters, thus limiting the amount of empiric data available. Nonetheless, in this chapter we examine some accidents which occurred in the Arctic, such as the Usinsk oil spill in 1994 . This chapter also describes the emergency rescue routines in Murmansk oblast, together with regulations for emergency preparedness and response for the oil and gas sector. All the information presented in this chapter is accompanied by reference data, opinions from specialists, legal notes and illustrations. Several situations are examined using Murmansk oblast as an example. 4.1. Accidents and incidents: causes and consequences Here’s a thought… Oleg Mitvol, deputy director of the Russian federal service managing the oversight of natural resources (Rosprirodnadzor) said in an interview that spills of oil and other oil products take place every two weeks in Russia, RBC Daily Russian news agency reported in September 2005. According to RBC, Russian experts estimate that 3-7 per cent of all extracted oil is lost during extraction and transportation. The official numbers are much lower. 4,1,1 Accidents involving oil pipelines In 2003, according to data from Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief, there were 48 accidents on main and intrafield pipelines which led to emergency situations (compared with 55 in 2002).1 However, other sources states that the number of accidents involving oil pipelines has increased by 20% over the course of several years. -
Exploring the Erosion of the Post-Soviet Space
FEBRUARY 2019 58 WHAT HAS REMAINED OF THE USSR EXPLORING THE EROSION OF THE POST-SOVIET SPACE Arkady Moshes, András Rácz ( eds.) FEBRUARY 2019 58 WHAT HAS REMAINED OF THE USSR EXPLORING THE EROSION OF THE POST-SOVIET SPACE Arkady Moshes, András Rácz (eds.) FEBRUARY 2019 58 This publication is the final report of a research project conducted by the Finnish Institute of International Affairs with the participation of a group of European and Russian experts on the post-Soviet space. The project was co-funded by FIIA and Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Reports can be ordered from the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. +358 9 432 7707 [email protected] All FIIA reports and other publications are also available on our website at www.fiia.fi Language editing: Joan Nordlund and Lynn Nikkanen Graphic design: Mainostoimisto SST Oy Layout: Kaarina Tammisto Printed by Punamusta Oy, 2019 ISBN (print) 978-951-769-592-3 ISBN (web) 978-951-769-593-0 ISSN 2323-5454 The Finnish Institute of International Affairs is an independent research institute that produces high-level research to support political decisionmaking and public debate both nationally and in- ternationally. All manuscripts are reviewed by at least two other experts in the field to ensure the high quality of the publications. In addition, publications undergo professional language checking and editing. The responsibility for the views expressed ultimately rests with the authors. CONTENTS List of abbreviations 8 Introduction 11 Arkady Moshes, András Rácz PART ONE 17 1. The law and politics of post-Soviet constitutionalism 21 Peter Van Elsuwege 2. -
“Russian Energy Policy and Its Challenge to Western Policy Makers”
“Russian Energy Policy and its Challenge to Western Policy Makers” Keith C. Smith Senior Associate Center for Strategic and International Studies March 2008 Summary • The U.S. and the EU have too long ignored the Kremlin’s non -transparent and monopolis tic energy policies , and its use of natural resources to exert political influence over the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. • The responses of the EU and U.S. to Russian energy policies ha ve been weak and uncoordinated and have had little or n o effect on Kremlin behavior . • The disruption of natural gas to Ukraine and Georgia in January 2006, of oil to Lithuania and Belarus in 2006, and of gas to Georgia again in January 2007 was only an intensification of Russia’s petro -politics that began as ea rly as 1990 . • Studies document that there have been over 40 politically -motivated energy disruptions or threatened disruptions by Moscow in the past 17 years. • Europe could be less concerned if Russia were rapidly moving in the direction of Western -style d emocracy. Unfortunately, Putin’s Russia has become more authoritarian, nationalistic and desirous of re -establishing its Soviet -era hold over its European and Central Asian neighbors. • The U.S. and Europe’s tolerance of, or at most token opposition to, Russ ia’s coercive policies and non -transparent business practices have convinced the Kremlin that the West is either powerless or lacks the will to re act because of its perceived need for Russia’s substantial resources . • The reality , however, is that Russia is very much dependent on revenue from Europe ’s energy markets and on Western financing and technology in the energy sector . -
Doing Private Equity in Russia
Doing private equity in Russia March 2008 Mint Capital at-a-glance Entirely independent Bi-cultural Long track record business in Russia approach Natural progress in capital under Small and mid- management to meet sized focus changing local mid- sized opportunities Attractive Scandinavian investor base 2 An established local private equity investor in Russia Russia's health and beauty industry is attracting foreign Verysell has got financing from Deutsche Bank and Hillside investors, with the country’s second-largest beauty salon Apex Fund SPC. Combined with the capital raised earlier in chain recently selling a major stake to Mint Capital. «Up till 2007 from Mint Capital, RP Explorer Fund, Renaissance now we grew organically. Now we expect revolutionary pre-IPO and Steep Rock Capital, the IT holding has now growth, planning to have 100 salons in various regions of the more than $65 million for further development. “We are glad country within two years», — Aleksandr Glushkov, beauty to have such a strong pool of investors”, says Verysell’s salon chain owner. As disposable incomes rise, the health President Mikhail Krasnov. “The Board has been and beauty sector promises to become not only the most strengthened with “experienced financiers” including Ulf glamorous, but also one of the fastest-growing in Russia. Persson, Paul Swigart and Zafar Zokhidov”, he adds. Russia Today, July 2007 Vedomosti, January 2008 After seven or eight years of easy growth, Ulf Persson Investing $2 million in Elecsnet, Benchmark Capital has believes that the corporate environment in Russia is started its activity in Russia. Elecsnet admits that becoming much more competitive and that for companies “friendship” between partners of Mint and Benchmark was to be successful they will have to be able to distinguish crucial in attracting such an well-known investor. -
23082010102526 Norberg (Library).Pdf
Impact of Russia’s foreign energy policy on small European states’ security Case study: the Baltic States Liene Norberg A dissertation presented to the Faculty of Arts in the University of Malta for the degree of Master in Contemporary Diplomacy July 2009 Declaration I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own original work. Liene Norberg 31 July 2009, Riga, Latvia 2 Abstract Russia is the main energy supplier for Europe and Europe is the biggest market for Russian energy sources. This interdependency is the main cause for complicated energy relations between the EU, that is struggling to merge divergent interests of its 27 unequal members on one side, and Russia, that has gained new confidence in its energy power, on the other. It is particularly difficult for small, economically and politically weak European states that are heavily dependent on Russian energy sources, like the Baltic countries, to face the global energy challenges and increasing Russian energy leverage. During the last years Russia has been using its energy as political weapon and applied coercive approach towards the countries of the ex-Soviet block, causing threat to their national security. These assertive actions have urged them and the European Union to reform their Energy Strategies and come up with several projects and activities aimed at decreasing Russia’s growing influence in the region. 3 Table of Contents List of abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................. 6 List of Tables, Figures and Illustrations -
Defence Alliances – a Future Necessity
Article by former UN Legal Counsel Hans Corell in Bevara alliansfriheten Nej till Nato- medlemskap! Ed. Anders Björnsson & Sven Hirdman. Lund: Celanders förlag (2014) Translation from the Swedish by the author Defence Alliances – A Future Necessity by Hans Corell Lately, the defence debate has suddenly taken off. The reason is of course the tragic development in the eastern part of our region. One example is the article by the four leaders of the Alliance in the Dagens Nyheter on 22 April 2014. 1 In that context, the issue of a Swedish NATO accession has also arisen. As is clear from the report of the Defence Commission, The Defence of Sweden – A Stronger Defence for An Uncertain Time (Ds 2014: 20), there are widely differing opinions among the political parties in the Riksdag (The Swedish Parliament). During my years in the courts and in the government offices, 1962-1994 and thus mostly during the Cold War, I followed the defence issue with great interest. Later, during my ten years in the United Nations and then elsewhere, I lost touch with the issue until, through the debate on the "one week defence", it became clear to me how bad things were. This made me deeply worried. Not least the recent events in Europe demonstrate how important it is that a country has a strong defence. But the defence debate must be conducted in a much broader and longer-term perspective than that which apparently occurred in our country after the end of the Cold War. In the following, I will in a few short sections explain how I view this question in the light of my experiences from my years in the courts, in the government offices, in the United Nations and then in the international arena, including as legal adviser for six years to Kofi Annan in his capacity as Chairman of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities mandated by the African Union to assist in restoring order in Kenya after the violence in connection with the 2007 elections in the country.