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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: KLP who wrote (194207)	7/31/2006 11:46:28 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

What would Raul do to/for the oil drilling? What's truly interesting is that the biggest, and most profitable market for any Cuban oil is in the US. They avoid the cost of shipping it long distances and it's the same lucrative market that Venezuela prefers to sell into. Thus, it may lead to some form of opening of relations between Cuba and the US. But it's likely to require the retirement or death of Fidel Castro. The question is whether Raoul will take the opportunity to initiate a massive shift in Cuba's rule of law and economic rules towards investment from US capital markets. If so, it could see Cuba becoming a tremendous investment opportunity. Hawk

To: KLP who wrote (194207)	8/1/2006 10:03:35 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 281500

Stick to land. Serious spill on large Russian export pipeline Natural Resources Ministry warns of 'environmental catastrophe' Updated: 7:47 a.m. PT July 31, 2006 MOSCOW - A serious oil spill has occurred on one of Russia’s largest export pipelines near the border with Ukraine and Belarus, the Natural Resources Ministry said Monday, warning it could cause an environmental disaster. The ministry said that oil from the pipeline had contaminated local water sources and forests in the western province of Bryansk, adding that the spill affected an area of nearly 4 square miles. “Judging by information reaching the ministry from representatives of environmental organizations ... the consequences of the accident may be an environmental catastrophe in the region,” a ministry statement said. An official from state pipeline operator OAO Transneft, however, downplayed the spill, saying it had only affected an area of 3,875 square feet and had already been cleaned up. “Now there is no problem,” said Mikhail Sayapin. The 2,485-mile-long pipeline has the capacity to ship over 1.2 million barrels a day to eastern and central Europe and generally works at or close to its full capacity. It was not immediately clear whether the spill had affected supply to European customers. Ministry spokesman Rinat Gizatulin said the spill happened on Saturday but only became public on Monday. © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. msnbc.msn.com