Oil Spill: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Fears BP's 'Annihilation'
THE TELEGRAPH: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed concerns that the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill could lead to the "annihilation" of BP.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fears BP's 'annihilation' over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Photo: The Telegraph
Mr Medvedev stopped short of saying the disaster would prompt a review of Russia's partnership with BP, but he said: "This is a wake-up call."

"Certainly, we are not indifferent to their future... Hopefully, they can absorb the losses," he told the Wall Street Journal.

BP shares, which have fallen around 46pc since the spill began, rose 4.5pc in early tradiing on Friday.

BP is present in Russia through TNK-BP, the third largest oil producer in the country, accounting for roughly a quarter of BP's global production. It owns half of TNK-BP and the other half is owned by Alfa Access-Renova, a consortium of Russian businessmen.

When asked how the oil spill would affect Russia's view of BP as a partner, he said: "What I know is that BP will have to pay a lot of money this year.

"Whether the company can digest those expenditures, whether they will lead to the annihilation of the company or its breakup into pieces is a matter of expediency."

Mr Medvedev's comment come as estimates of the damage caused by the US's biggest environmental accident spiral[.] >>> | Friday, June 18, 2010

Medvedev Sees Risk to Euro
Russian President Dmitry Medvdev speaks with The Wall Street Journal. Photograph: WSJ
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed doubts about the future of Europe's common currency and said the Gulf of Mexico oil spill could threaten the survival of BP PLC.

Asked whether Europe's debt turmoil could threaten the euro, Mr. Medvedev said, "I don't exaggerate the threat, but it can't be underestimated."

The Russian president didn't rule out financial assistance to struggling European nations, but said the European Union should bear the burden of any major "financial injections."

"Russia's prosperity, to a large extent, depends on how well things are going on the European continent," Mr. Medvedev said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "We are not a member of the EU, but we are a European country."

On the eve of his first state visit to the U.S. next week, Mr. Medvedev also questioned whether the Gulf oil spill might lead to the "annihilation" or breakup of BP, as the company faces billions of dollars in losses from the disaster.

He stopped short of saying Russia would re-evaluate BP's lucrative partnership in Russia, which represents almost a quarter of its oil production, but predicted the spill will prompt a fundamental rethinking of oil exploration around the world.

"This is a wake-up call," Mr. Medvedev said. Of BP's fate, he added: "Certainly, we are not indifferent to their future. ... Hopefully, they can absorb the losses." >>> Gregory L. White, Robert Thomson, and Rebecca Blumenstein | Friday, June 18, 2010

Medvedev Vows to Battle Terrorists ‘Without Compromise’
Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev speaks during an emergency meeting in Moscow on Monday. Photograph: The Wall Street Journal
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Russia will continue to battle terrorists “without compromise,” President Dmitry Medvedev said Monday, hours after a pair of suicide attacks ripped through Moscow’s metro, killing at least 37 people.

“We will continue operations against terrorists, without compromise and to the end,” Mr. Medvedev said at an emergency government meeting.

Russia’s security services must not allow the suicide bombings that ripped through Moscow’s metro to “destabilize” the country and stoking ethnic hatred within society, Mr. Medvedev said. >>> Ira Iosebashvili | Monday, March 29, 2010

Several related articles in English, French, and German >>> | Monday, March 29, 2010

Russlands Führung erklärt den Tätern den Krieg: Putin kündigt «Gnadenlose Jagd» auf Hintermänner der Anschläge an
NZZ ONLINE: Nach den beiden Selbstmordanschlägen in Moskau hat der russische Präsident Medwedew einen unerbittlichen Kampf gegen Extremisten angekündigt. Ministerpräsident Putin sprach von einer gnadenlosen Jagd auf die Hintermänner der Tat.

Russland werde ohne zu Zögern den «Krieg gegen Terror» fortsetzen, erklärte der russische Präsident Medwedew am Montag nach den beiden schweren Anschlägen in der Moskauer U-Bahn. Die Sicherheitskräfte würden kompromisslos gegen Terroristen vorgehen. Die Menschenrechte müssten aber bei Polizeieinsätzen gewahrt bleiben, sagte der russische Präsident.

«Terroristen zerstören»

«Ein Verbrechen ist begangen worden, das schrecklich ist in seinen Konsequenzen und abscheulich in seiner Art», sagte Ministerpräsident Putin zu Beginn einer Videokonferenz mit ranghohen Vertretern der Sicherheitsbehörden. «Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass die Polizei- und Justizbehörden keine Anstrengung unterlassen werden, die Kriminellen zu finden und zu bestrafen. Die Terroristen werden zerstört werden.» >>> sda/Reuters/ddp | Montag, 29. März 2010

Putin Condemns Metro Attacks, Urgently Flies to Moscow

RUSSIA TODAY: Putin condemns Metro attacks, urgently flies to Moscow: Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, currently on a working trip in Siberia, said he was urgently returning to Moscow after terrorists exploded two bombs in the Metro, killing dozens. >>> | Monday, March 29, 2010

Spanish PM Drops F-bomb in Press Conference on Tourism
Photo of the Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, courtesy of The Sydney Morning Herald
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero inadvertently used the F-word while expounding on a tourism agreement with Moscow in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.

The slip-up, which is being circulated in clips on the Internet, occurred at a joint press conference.

"There is a big increase in the number of Spanish tourists heading to Russia, the number is at 500,000, we have therefore decided to sign an agreement to stimulate, to favour, to f---," he said, pausing briefly before ending the sentence with "to support this tourism".

In Spanish the expression "para follar," meaning "to f---," is pronounced very similarly to the expression "para apoyar," or "to support".

It's the second gaffe for Spanish tourism this week, after tourism officials were caught out promoting a Costa Brava resort using a photo taken on a beach halfway around the world … in Perth. >>> AFP/AP | Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback – Australia) >>>
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