RusEnergy

05-23-2005 Kommersant - by Dmitry Sidorov - US Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman arrived in Moscow yesterday. His goal is to resume the US-Russian dialogue, to be more exact, to discuss the possibilities of increasing oil supplies to the U.S., the cooperation in the production of depressed gas and the plans to boost security measures at nuclear centres. He described to Kommersant correspondent Dmitry Sidorov in Washington not only the prospects but also the problems of energy talks.
Samuel Wright Bodman was born in 1938 in Chicago. In 1983 he was named President of Fidelity Investments. In 1987, he became Chairman and CEO of Cabot Corporation, company with global business activities in specialty chemicals and materials. Since 2001, he has been in many other publicly owned corporations. In 2004-2005 - Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury. Since February 1, 2005 - US Secretary of Energy.
- Who are you planning to meet in Moscow?
- I am going to spend two days in Moscow. I have two meetings already scheduled: with Economic Development and Energy ministers German Gref and Viktor Khristenko, and with the head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency Mr. Rumyantsev. But I can't absolutely guarantee that they will take place.
- Has the meeting with the president been planned?
- We asked about it and about the chance to talk to some other high-ranking officials. I cannot give their names, we haven't received their responses yet.
- As I can understand your Moscow visit stems from the decision taken by George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin in Bratislava to continue energy talks between the U.S and Russia. What is new in this dialogue?
- My visit is indeed the result of the decisions taken in Bratislava [the summit held on February 24, 2004]. Following them, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and I, from the American party, need to promote the resumption and the development of the energy dialogue with Russia. I am going to discuss possible exports of Russian depressed natural gas to the U.S.A, an increase in Russian oil supplies and the development of the commercial relations between Russian and American companies. I would like to emphasize that the level of Russian oil supplies to the U.S. cannot be called considerable so far.
- The U.S. has spoken much lately on its interest to boost Russian oil export. How would you assess the readiness of the Russian party to do it?
- Each deal is in the sphere of the responsibility of the private sector. Its representatives have expressed serious concerns over the supremacy of law power in Russia within the last year.
- Does this mean you are going to discuss with your partners the YUKOS case?
- I will raise some issues that cause concerns of the representatives of the US private sector and that served the cause of, as I put it, a pause in the discussion of energy cooperation. Among them are the review of the decisions on the contract in Sakhalin [the attraction of overseas investment to Sakhalin 3 project has been suspended until the law on strategic resources of raw materials is passed.] and an array of problems that emerged following the judicial motions concerning YUKOS, the supremacy of law, the propriety and taxation. This is what the representatives of the American companies talked with me about during the meetings before the Moscow visit. We will also examine the ruling of the court in the YUKOS case, if it happens during our stay in Moscow.
- Tax claims have been lately put forwards against TNK-BP as well. Are you going to discus it in Moscow?
- I would not like to dwell on the problems of this company. This is Russia's internal matter. As far as I know, BP has lately invested in new projects in Russia. The company's management feels quite comfortable about these investments. I can only say that the situation you're asking about is the evidence to the fact that the rules charged after the performed investments can cool the desire to invest in Russia.
- You are going to discuss the export of Russian depressed natural gas to the U.S. Your predecessor Spencer Abraham declared in Washington less than two years ago that the US market would be opened for the exporters of depressed natural gas. What has changed?
- My aim is to try to convince Russians that they must profitably use their large natural gas resources. I will also try to convince American companies to cooperate with Russian in this sphere.
- What subjects are you going to discuss with Alexander Rumyantsev?
- I hope to discuss with Mr. Rumyantsev issues of the rapid reaction of our countries to nuclear incidents and the creation of a new plan on the safety of nuclear centres both in Russia and the U.S.
- How the arrest of the Russian former Atomic Energy minister Evgeny Adamov at the US request may influence your meetings in Moscow?
- As I remember, the Adamov case is handled by the Department of Justice. I cannot comment on the ongoing investigation. This is the answer I will give my partners in Moscow too, if they want to discuss it.