15 Nov 2006 16:42:52 GMT
THE HAGUE, Nov 15 (Reuters) – The Dutch government is confident that Russia will solve a dispute over the $20 billion oil and gas Sakhalin-2 project and abide by international law, Dutch Economy Minister Joop Wijn said on Wednesday.
The project, led by Anglo-Dutch oil major Shell
“The Russian government assured me, and at this moment I have no reasons to doubt it, that they will stick to international law … and contracts will be served,” Wijn told Reuters in an interview.
“At this moment we have the impression that there is no need to doubt that they will find a solution,” he added.
Wijn, who visited Moscow last month to discuss Sakhalin among other things, said it would also be in the interest of Russia if the rule of law prevailed and the country demonstrated it had good and predictable investment climate.
The rise in Sakhalin costs angered Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom
Russia’s environmental watchdog said last week it was prepared to take Shell’s project to court to win damages and might even try to scrap the production sharing agreement under which it operates. Wijn said he believed the environmental issues were minor.
“There are environmental issues to discuss, which in my opinion are minor. There are also financial issues, which are currently being negotiated,” he said.
“What I understand is that meanwhile the construction goes on, so there is no delay in the physical side of this contract,” Wijn added.
Russia has attracted international criticism over the mounting pressure on Sakhalin-2, widely seen as an attempt to force Shell and its partners Mitsui <8031.T> and Mitsubishi <8058.T> to concede to less favourable terms and to limit foreign involvement in Russia’s strategic energy sector.
Import-dependent Japan is looking to Sakhalin — the world’s largest single oil and gas project — to meet much of its future energy needs. Japan said in September a major delay could hurt diplomatic ties.
The European Commission said at the time it too was taking the developments around the project very seriously.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
