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As Anger Over Russian Syria Veto Mounts, Putin "Briefly" Leaves Europe In The Cold

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Yesterday we presented why when it comes to Syria, the UN Security Council can forget any attempt at "overhauling" a regime that is a cornerstone for Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean and the middle east. Today, in the aftermath of the UN reminder that it is the world's biggest collection of post-facto hypocrites, not to mention, the world's most irrelevant and ineffectual organization, anger at the Russian and Chinese veto has already manifested itself, as protesters have attacked the Russian embassy in Tripoli and tore down the Russian flag, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday. As Itar-Tass reports, "According to Al Jazeera, the riots staged by the Syria opposition involved Libyans as well. No further details are available so far. None of the Russian diplomats has been hurt in an rally stage by the Syrian opposition in front of the Russian embassy in Tripoli on Sunday, an officer from the Russian embassy told Itar-Tass over the phone. “No one has managed to break into the territory of the Russian diplomatic mission, no one of the personnel has been hurt. All are safe and sound. Although the protesters have managed to tear down the Russian flag,” the diplomat said." Still, the wily occupiers of the Kremlin preempted what they perceived as potential 'displeasure' with Russian tactics to protect its own national interests. Because as Zero Hedge has been reminding readers on occasion, Russia has something that is far more valuable to Europe than the Goldman-alum controlled printing press: it has the world's largest natural gas reserves. Which for a continent gripped in one the coldest winters on record, whose heating infrastructure is based primarily on natgas, and where Russian imports account for 25% of total nat gas, Russia has the upper hand in, well, everything. Which it gladly reminded the world of yesterday. According to the AP: Russia's state-controlled Gazprom natural gas giant acknowledged for the first time Saturday that it "had briefly reduced gas supplies to Europe amid a spell of extreme cold."  Oops... Just a fat finger there, nothing to worry about. Oh, and if anyone forgets that in the Eurasian continent it is Russia who increasingly holds all the cards, Gazprom may "briefly" cut all supplies to Europe, -40 C degree temperatures be damned. Briefly...

More:

Gazprom deputy chief Andrey Kruglov reported to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the cuts lasted for several days and reached up to 10 percent, but supplies are currently back to normal. Officials in Austria and France, however, have reported cuts of as much as 30 percent, and Italy said supplies were down by 24 percent Thursday.

Naturally, there is a scapegoat:

Russia previously had blamed Ukraine for the shortages, saying Kiev is siphoning off more than its share. Authorities in Ukraine have denied the accusations.

 

The mutual rebukes echoed the previous gas crises, when Gazprom supplies to Europe were cut over price arguments between Russia and Ukraine, the conduit for the biggest export pipeline for Russian gas to reach Europe.

The response chain has been activated => committees have been formed and what not.

The European Commission put its gas coordination committee on alert Friday, but insisted the situation had not yet reached an emergency level as nations have pledged to help each other if needed and storage facilities have been upgraded.

 

Putin on Saturday tried to use the situation to emphasize the need for alternative supply routes bypassing Ukraine, including the Nord Stream pipeline under the Baltic Sea, the first line of which was inaugurated in November.

Unfortunately for Europe, Russia's monopolistic control of its warmth will only increase with time.

Another Russian pipeline, the South Stream, is expected to go online in 2015 to transport Russian gas to Europe under the Black Sea.

 

Putin said the current high demand for Russian gas underscores the need for the new pipelines. Europe gets about 25 percent of its natural gas from Russia, which has the world's largest reserves.

 

"It's obvious today that there is a strong demand for these projects, which both we and our partners," Putin said.

 

He ordered Gazprom to try to meet an increased demand for the Russian gas in Europe, but added that the company's priority should be to satisfy the local demand.

But, but, can't Saudi Arabia supply the missing gas (obviously this is a joke). After all the Saudis are confident they can be the source of all crude supply even if all the members of OPEC and Russia go offline, or so the joke goes. Apparently, the answer is no:

Putin scoffed at the EU's hopes to fill a higher demand for gas

Oh, and before we forget, Russia is also the world's largest oil producer in the world having recently overtaken Saudi Arabia, and second (possibly the) largest exporter. Any questions now who has not only all the trump cards, but all the cards, period?

 

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Sun, 02/05/2012 - 15:40 | 2129094 magpie
magpie's picture

Japan ? The Koreas ?

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 06:23 | 2130018 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

ekm, perhaps u MUST kiss Michael's a$$ at The Economic Collapse :) LOL

read here:

47 Signs That China Is Absolutely Destroying America On The Global Economic Stage (January 31st, 2012)

Once upon a time, the Chinese economy was a joke and the U.S. economy was the most powerful the world had ever seen.  But over the past couple of decades the U.S. economy has decayed and declined while the Chinese economy has skyrocketed.  Today, China makes more steel, more automobiles, more beer, more cotton, more coal and more solar panels than we do.  China has the fastest train in the world, the fastest computer in the world and they export twice as much high-tech equipment as we do.

...

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 15:49 | 2129116 linrom
linrom's picture

The Chinese, Russians and the Muslims are definitely making a case for alternate political system to western style democracies. NOT!

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 16:10 | 2129160 stiler
stiler's picture

what if Germany dropped out of the Eurozone and joined Russia?

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 16:42 | 2129230 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

"joined Russia" ?  Germany doesn't need to do anything - it has created an Industry Confederation to secure raw materials - after all China is locking up raw materials across Africa and South America.......

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 16:49 | 2129243 magpie
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:31 | 2129311 earleflorida
earleflorida's picture

Let's review - while america has been fighting wars for 10 +/+ years, China now holds a monopoly on 90% of the world's "Rare-Earth-Elements"!

PS. Just ask Japan what a bartering [blackmail?] tool china wields?

The Russian's (USSR) contol all the oil, and nat gas,... and little ole Iran has the 2nd largest nat gas fields in the known universe, and #3 largest oil discoveries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Afghanistan_Pipeline  [TAPI]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Pakistan-India_gas_pipeline  [IPI]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_elements

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 19:29 | 2132295 Matt
Matt's picture

Rare Earths are not actually that rare. The main problem with them is that they are the decay products of Thorium. In Western Society, the precedent has been set that radioactive contamination of the environment from rare earth mining has no cap limit on damages; as a result, it is quite risky to be in the rare earths field.

The Chinese, on the other hand, are probably much more lax with their environmental regulations, and if you get irradiated from contaminated water from a mine upstream, you probably cannot sue the company for unlimited amounts of money.

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 20:10 | 2132401 Flakmeister
Flakmeister's picture

They are found in ores associated with Thorium.. they are not necessarily the decay products, see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decay_chain#Thorium_series 

for example...

While they are not "rare" per se, they are not found in concentrated ores very often (i.e. commercially exploitable ores)....

 

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:33 | 2129320 ILoveTheWorld
ILoveTheWorld's picture

It was done in 80 million years, but cannot be redone in the next 80 million years. The geological prerequisites are completely different.

Tue, 02/07/2012 - 13:36 | 2134344 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

80 MILLION YEARS ??? :D LoL

it's a time span of absolute irrelevance [for the mortal creatures]

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 17:51 | 2129345 slewie the pi-rat
slewie the pi-rat's picture

L0L!!!

"world's biggest collection of post-facto hypocrites"

=  hypocritae ex post facto

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 18:34 | 2129425 Dermasolarapate...
Dermasolarapaterraphatrima's picture

It's a simple business decision...not at all politically motivated. As Rahm Emanual said:

"Never let a crises go to waste."

What's good for the goose is often good for the gander.

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 19:12 | 2129484 supermaxedout
supermaxedout's picture

The US are blocking since long the construction of additional pipelines from the Black Sea area to Europe because they do not own or control them. Plus they have eliminated Libia which was the mayor supplier for Italy.

Many years the US tried to stop the pipeline through the Baltic Sea to Germany. They failed. The Black sea area is different. Here it will be decided who is going to control the energy flows from Central Asia to Europe in the future. Its still a war zone with Georgia as the sole US ally. So its not Russia to blame. Its the US..

Sun, 02/05/2012 - 20:35 | 2129568 jonjon831983
jonjon831983's picture

Hmm interesting, despite chart being 2006 - What it is now?

 

Instead of LNG, we're exporting our cold weather to Europe. Looks like North America needs to step things up and fire up some LNG export terminals.  North West Passage is likely getting more clear.  Method of payment unknown... I don't know if I would want to receive EUR's for our potential LNG.

 

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 05:33 | 2129999 financial apoca...
financial apocalyptic contagion's picture

Man I need help on this someone please explain the future of Detroit or some interesting updated analysis on the subject.
ZH logic and past articles dictate that the its all sorta media hype and just glitter but my housemate cries himself hoarse everyday that the real estate development and the whole downtown window dressing will solve its problems.
And the chrysler ad

Give me the lowdown Tyler

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 06:37 | 2130010 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

 

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Security Council Showdown on Syria

by Stephen Lendman, Contributing Writer

 

Slowly things are coming to a head. America, Israel, rogue NATO partners, and regional despot allies are itching for a fight with Syria. Russia and China stand firmly opposed. 

On February 3, Reuters headlined, "UN council to vote on Syria resolution Saturday," saying:

Britain's UN mission said the "UN Security Council is set to meet 9:00 a.m. Saturday. Plan is to vote on Syria resolution."

Reuters said "(o)ther missions confirmed the announcement."

On February 3, Deputy Foreign Minister Gannady Gatilov said resolution revisions were "not enough for us to be able to support...."

Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani accepts no further draft resolution changes, saying:

"The version which we have is the minimal which we can accept."

On February 4, Lebanon's Al-Manar satellite TV (Lebanese Media Group Company, Beirut) reported Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying:

"If they (the West) want yet another scandal on the Security Council for themselves then we cannot stop them."

At issue is an expected Saturday Security Council vote Russia opposes. Lavrov added:

"The draft does not suit us at all and I hope that is is not put to a vote."

Russia's views are well known. "There can be no doubt about the sense and the objectivity of (its) amendments. I hope that a prejudiced approach does not prevail over common sense," Lavrov stressed.

On February 4, AP headlined, "Russia warns UN vote on Syria will end in scandal," saying:

Interviewed on Russian state television, Lavrov was blunt, saying Russia's prepared to use its veto.

Calling the current Syrian resolution draft unacceptable, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gatilov said:

"Some of our concerns and the concerns of those who think the same as (we do) have been taken into consideration, but all the same (it's) not enough for us to be able to support it in this form."

At issue is what major media scoundrels ignore -- a western-backed, externally generated insurgency responsible for most violence.

Washington plans regime change in Iran and Syria. At issue is replacing current leaders with pro-Western ones. Syria's target one to isolate Iran. Escalated measures against Tehran will follow.

Strategy involves whatever it takes to achieve longstanding objectives, including war. Pressure's building. Expect it perhaps later in 2012.

Meanwhile, conditions in Syria keep deteriorating. Under attack, its currency lost half its value. Ordinary people suffer most. Hunger and severe privation threaten. Escalated violence promises worse, including full-blown Western-backed war.

To achieve unchallenged Middle East hegemony, including control of its oil and gas resources, Washington won't quit until the entire region burns.

In 1970, Richard Nixon ordered making Chile under social democrat Salvador Allende "scream." Seventeen years of Pinochet's reign of terror followed.

Middle East plans today are worse, including full-blown war for control. Expect it, with or without Security Council help. Hardball Washington tactics don't compromise.

 

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

 

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 06:24 | 2130020 toomanyfakecons...
toomanyfakeconservatives's picture

Somebody here said PEAK OIL wasn't the be all, end all of human civilization. The real experts beg to differ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=4Z9WVZddH9w#t=8...

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 07:38 | 2130052 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

thanks toomanyfakecons for the link to "Zeitgeist - Moving Forward (Official Release 2011)" what a size :) many megs

well, just grabbed it conveniently using the free, versatile DL manager: JDownloader

hey, what a cool nick :) after all fakes are part of our daily lives!

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 07:11 | 2130042 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

 

Here are some freshly posted articles at Asia Times with regard to the ongoing Syria plots.

 

Run-up to proxy war over Syria 

By M K Bhadrakumar - Feb 7, 2012

 

THE ROVING EYE

Syria and those 'disgusting' BRICS 

By Pepe Escobar - Feb 7, 2012

 

Exposed: The Arab agenda in Syria

By Pepe Escobar - Feb 4, 2012

 

 

 

Mon, 02/06/2012 - 07:53 | 2130064 guasilas
guasilas's picture

Politicians in France voted against allowing shale gas exploration.  With a conspiracy theory hat,  maybe the politicians were bribed by the russians. Or you can choose the stupid and selfrighteous explanation:  They voted in the name of ecology, basically sacrificing independance to little birds.  Pick your choice. Either way, the russians win.

Wed, 02/08/2012 - 03:43 | 2137072 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

 

Petrodollar pumping US policy on Iran, backfire looms

 

01 February, 2012

As tensions between the US and Iran heat up, author Michael T. Winter believes the main reason behind America’s harsh stance is Tehran’s move to seek an alternative to the dollar as an oil currency.

Economic sanctions, spearheaded by the US and, less willingly, the EU could have a disastrous effect on both of their respective economies.  If Iran cannot sell their oil to Europe, there are plenty of customers waiting in the wings, and if they come bearing not petrodollars, but gold and sovereign currencies, then all the better for Iran.  These sanctions, if enforced, will in effect place a serious dent in the power of the petrodollar.

Any rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear program and the insistence on crippling it is nothing more than a US attempt to force regime change for one more receptive to maintaining the hegemony of the petrodollar.

The world now knows the truth about the US and how they conduct their affairs.  US hostilities toward Iran have nothing to do with nuclear weapons development.  If that were the case, then North Korea and Pakistan would be facing similar sanctions and threats, but they aren’t. The difference of course is in what lies beneath the ground – oil. Iran has it and the other guys don’t.

At the heart of the issue is not Iran’s dubious attempt to build nuclear weapons, or even oil, but how that oil is paid for.  In 1973, Richard Nixon promised King Faisal of Saudi Arabia that the US would protect Saudi Arabian oilfields from any and all interested parties seeking to forcefully wrest them from the House of Saud.  It’s important to remember that in 1973, Saudi Arabia didn’t have a fraction of the military and ground forces it possesses today (almost exclusively US manufactured weapons) and the USSR was very much a threat.

In return Saudi Arabia, and by extension OPEC, agreed to sell their oil in US dollars only.  As if that weren’t sweet enough, as part of the deal, they were required to invest their profits in US treasuries, bonds and bills. The real zinger is that all countries purchasing oil from OPEC had to do so in US dollars, or ‘petrodollars’.  

This strengthened the US dollar, resulting in a steady US economic growth cycle throughout the 80’s and 90’s. Countries purchasing OPEC oil started buying US treasury bills, bonds and securities to ensure they could continue purchasing OPEC oil.  This worked fine for the US until 2001.

. . .

 

 

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