Cooperation in the oil and gas sector constitutes a major part of China-Russia economic relations, but it is not everything. While strengthening their energy cooperation, Chinese and Russian economic managers are now exploring new fields to diversify their economic ties and optimize the trade structure.

• October 14, 2011

China and Russia are committed to expanding cooperation in economic, trade and energy, said a joint communique inked by the two countries as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made a two-day official visit to China.

• October 12, 2011

Russia and Belarus signed a contract Tuesday on the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus, local media reported.

• October 12, 2011

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday that he expected a "just and acceptable" compromise to be worked out with Russia soon over the price of Russian gas.

• October 12, 2011

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during September 2011
Key developments:

• Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s September is filled with tumultuous foreign policy issues, coalescing disputes with Israel, Cyprus and the world’s stance towards Somalia in his statement to the UN General Assembly.
• The prime minister visited Libya, Egypt and Tunisia in a quick tour of countries touched by the Arab Spring while continuing his condemnation of Syrian repression of civilians and rebuffing Iranian and Russian anger at Ankara’s participation in NATO’s missile shield.
• Kurdish-related violence seizes the country through terrorist attacks and military operations between PKK fighters and the Turkish military. BDP Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party parliamentary deputies end their boycott of the parliament in order to end the hostilities.
• The European Commission instigates raids on Gazprom subsidiaries on suspected competition violations, with many calling it a political move to garner support for Nabucco and undermine South Stream and Nord Stream.
• Energy major BP announces a planned pipeline from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan traversing Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

• October 12, 2011

Issue 8: August-September 2011

A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
Key points:

• Gazprom partners raided by European Commission Anti-trust Inspectors
• The dispute between Moscow and Kiev continues. Ukraine knows that it has a weak bargaining position and is in no hurry to make concessions to Russia
• Prime Minister Vladimir Putin launched the first string of Nord Stream, meaning Ukraine is now in danger of losing its status as the main transit country for Russia’s European gas exports
• Gazprom has signed roadmap with South Korea's Kogas for the construction of a pipeline from Vladivostok to South Korea
• Gazprom may suspend its project in Nigeria because of the lack of a law governing the oil and gas industry, although experts say Gazprom may have lost interest in this project because of potential difficulties in selling Nigerian gas
• Gazprom is looking to acquire two state-owned oil and gas companies in Kyrgyzstan
• The Gazprom affiliate Vemex has acquired a 51% stake in RSP Energy, marking the first time a Gazprom Group company will sell gas and electricity to Czech households
• Gazprom has signed a legally-binding agreement with its European partners on the implementation of the South Stream project, but has attracted criticism from the EU. According to Russian sources, EU Energy Commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, views South Stream as an attempt by Moscow to derail the ‘Southern Corridor’ gas supply diversification concept
• In line with new oil production projects in the region, Gazprom Neft is considering the construction of a new oil refinery near Murmansk
• Gazprom expects a doubling of the Mineral Extraction Tax by 2013.

• October 12, 2011

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed on Tuesday that Russia should build the country's first, $9 billion nuclear power station.

• October 11, 2011

Azerbaijan may give consent for construction of a new nuclear reactor in Armenia, director of the Radiation Problems Institute of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) Adil Garibov told Trend on Monday.

• October 11, 2011