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:

• Negotiations between Russia and Lithuania over their gas relationship and the unbundling over LietuvosDujos continue; Polish Treasury Minister and PGNiG Chief Executive are sacked as a result of a EuRoPolGaz-Gazprom agreement to investigate the possible expansion of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline
• Gazprom boycotts a high-level roundtable held by Ukrainian and EU representatives on the future management and development of Ukraine’s gas transport system, and warns European energy companies against reselling Russian gas back to Ukraine, as Ukraine continues to seek alternatives to Russian gas imports
• Gazprom and Gasunie agree to investigate the possibility of expanding the Nord Stream gas pipeline, with Gazprom eyeing an increase in gas exports to the British market, despite the current under-utilisationof the existing Nord Stream pipeline
• Gazprom announces that the spatial planning and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for South Stream in Slovenia are almost complete and that construction could begin next year; Bulgarian government announces a review of South Stream, but pledges to continue with the project; Construction of the Serbian section of South Stream could start by the end of 2013, rather than in 2014 as planned
• Gazprom announces its 2012 financial results; Rosneft continues to challenge Gazprom in the sphere of gas exports by announcing talks with ExxonMobil over the construction of an LNG export terminal in Russia’s Far East; Beltransgaz to be renamed Gazprom Transgaz Belarus to reflect Gazprom’s takeover

• May 16, 2013

Azerbaijan has started military exercises near its mainly Armenian-populated breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

• May 15, 2013

The first contingent of Kurdish rebels leaving Turkey as part of a peace deal with Ankara has arrived in the Harur area of Iraqi Kurdistan.

• May 15, 2013

According to the Russian media, the subject of talks will be the situation in Syria, which recently has been discussed in Russia by British Prime Minister James Cameron as well

• May 15, 2013

If Iran's supreme leader were to write a job description for the country's next president, loyalty and obedience to the Islamic establishment would be high on the list of requirements.

• May 14, 2013

A special investigative group has been established to look into the circumstances surrounding the brief war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008.

• May 14, 2013

Austria will resist British-led efforts to lift or dilute a European Union arms embargo on Syrian rebels, Chancellor Werner Faymann said on Tuesday, arguing that more weapons would only fan the fighting and may snuff out chances for peace talks.

• May 14, 2013

Group of Seven finance officials agreed on Saturday to redouble efforts to deal with failing banks and gave a green light to Japan's drive to galvanize its economy.

• May 13, 2013