Russia Arrests Head of Largest Oil Co. (Khodorkovsky)

[Unknown Known]

MOSCOW - Camouflaged special forces arrested Russia's richest man, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, at a Siberian airport on Saturday, and he was ordered jailed on charges of tax evasion and fraud.

The dramatic arrest of the head of Russia's largest oil producer alarmed the country's business and political elite, with many analysts saying the actions against the oil company, Yukos, are a Kremlin-directed campaign to keep him out of politics.

This is major!! Poppy and Kissinger were in Russia recently in talks with Khodorkovsky on behalf of Carlyle buying into Yukos (largest Russian oil producer). They were also talking to Russian govt regarding charges against Khodorkovsky (who BTW made gazillions during and after the fall of Soviet Union - like Marc Rich another good BFEE buddy).

Now he's been arrested and Poppy has "retired" from Carlyle. What is going on??

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20031025/ap_on_re_eu/russia_yukos

[Don_G]

1. Something Is Happening

I wish I knew what and how many dirty politicians are using their countrys' national pride to profit from their dirty dealings.

Think we can ressurect Woodward and Bernstein or (at least) another Stalin to root out the truth?

[bahrbearian]

7. Woodward ??

What would he do? Write a book on how Chimmpy is the right primate for the Job!

[TakebackAmerica]

8. Exactly!

Woodward is now ajust another whore for W.
Benstein is still a good liberal.

[blm]

2. Whoa.....sumpthin' BIG is occurring....of seismic proportions.

I always thought Putin was using Bushboy's incompetence to portray Russia as the sounder world partner for other countries.

[strauss_sucks]

3. In the US we elect our richest oil men to run the country

Quite a contrast. Something is definitely up here.

[burrowowl]

4. Hmmm!

So if we ship Lay to Russia, will he get the prison snetence he deserves?

[Unknown Known]

5. Connections also to Putin's new policy of dealing in euros for oil

instead of dollars and Khodorkovsky was aligning himself more with US oil interests. Also, Khodorkovsky was trying to become a political adversary to Putin.

Putin has just gotten him out of the way - interesting!

Kissinger is said to be an "adviser" to Khodorkovsky. Kissinger sits on the board of Khodorkovsky's foundation, Open Russia Foundation.

The Open Russia Foundation, founded in 2001 by YUKOS Oil Company, is an "international, independent, charitable organization, operating as a private endowment. The Foundation supports both academic institutions and not-for-profit organizations ... The Foundation is the first Russian international corporate philanthropic foundation. It not only supports a broad range of educational projects, but also provides funding for their implementation."<1>

"The first launch of the Open Russia Foundation took place in December 2001 at Somerset House in London, United Kingdom. The Open Russia Foundation had its United States launch on September 18, 2002 in Washington, DC. At the launch, United States Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, was presented with the first Open Russia Foundation Leadership Award for his 'outstanding contribution to educational, cultural and leadership programs'."<2>

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Open_Russia_Foundation

[David Zephyr]

6. Granting of Land in Post Socialist Russia Follows Early American Example

Just as large blocks of prime coastal land was doled out in America to friends and family of our "founding fathers" for next to nothing, so Russia also followed suit institutionalizing generations or priviledged and propertied families.

From the article:

"Khodorkovsky is one of the most prominent of the so-called Russian "oligarchs," men who made huge fortunes in a very short time after the collapse of the Soviet Union by acquiring state property at low prices. The oligarchs are greatly resented by large numbers of Russians who did not benefit from the privatization of state property."

[Unknown Known]

9. The future of Yukos?

This is a very interesting game being played by Putin. This article states that Khodorkovsky could be spending months in jail and be forced to sign away his shares.

Three US oil companies having been vying for a stake in Yukos - Chevron, Exxon and Shell. As far as I understand it, I believe Exxon was winning. But then the article states,

It was not immediately clear whether U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil, said to be interested in buying a stake in YUKOS, would want to pursue a deal with the Russian company in the current turmoil. Neither offered any comment on developments.

But some believed the Kremlin may prefer YUKOS to fall under the control of a foreign multinational corporation rather than have it run by Khodorkovsky, who makes little secret he has political ambitions and has fallen foul of the Kremlin.

Question is - What Foreign Multinational Corporation?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031025/bs_nm/russia_khodorkovsky_future_dc_1



"This is clearly an endgame of some sort. That's what it looks like," said one Moscow-based foreign banker who asked not to be named. "I think we have a very powerful change in the making."

[scisyhp]

10. When Putin came to power he made a deal with

so-called oligarchs - outcome of Yeltsin's privatization will stand
as long as the oligarchs stay away from politics. First Berezovsky,
and then Khodorkovsky, didn't hold their end of the bargain. Greed
got better of the two, no business has a better profit margin in
Russia than the business of politics.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

11. was arrested because Putin fears losing to this guy in the next election

he is Putin's challenger

[goforit]

12. And Bush's beloved Kenneth Lay gets a bonus instead!!!

Hmmmm...........Could there really be better justice in Russia?