Reuters: Putin moves to reassure West on EADS, energy

[Eugene]

Putin moves to reassure West on EADS, energy

By James Mackenzie and Christian Lowe
Reuters
Saturday, September 23, 2006; 12:42 PM

COMPIEGNE, France (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to reassure
France and Germany on Saturday they had nothing to fear from Moscow's growing
economic clout and held out the prospect of more natural gas for Europe.

Putin's remarks at a joint news conference with French President Jacques Chirac
and German Chancellor Angela Merkel followed a meeting which took place against
a background of renewed Western concern on energy security and aviation.

The meeting in an 18th century chateau, close to the spot where the armistice after
World War One was signed, was billed by France as a chance to exchange views.

But Russia's acquisition earlier this month of a 5 percent stake in Europe's flagship
aerospace group EADS and standoff between Moscow and Western oil firms put a
sharp focus on Moscow's ambitions to use its huge energy reserves to increase its
global influence.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/23/AR2006092300236.html

[leveymg]

1. Here's an idea: nationalize Exxon & Halliburton, sell 'em to Russia

Reduce the national debt and the cost of policing the Middle East. Let our friends the Russians pay for it!:evilgrin:

[Tellurian]

2. The US doesn't care about the national debt

or the cost of policing the ME.. They can use Social Security for ca$h flow!

[EstoniaKat]

3. Putin can't be trusted

He will use the energy weapon at a time and a place of his choosing, just like he did in The Ukraine last winter.

France and Germany are asking for it depending on this one source for their gas needs.