Russia and China have asserted a desire to increase cooperation in the energy industry, at the fifth round of Russian-Chinese energy talks in Beijing, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and China's deputy premier Wang Qishan.  When Vladimir Putin visits Beijing this week, he is apparently likely to seal a deal for transit of Russian gas to China which would make the energy-hungry power Gazprom's biggest customer.  According to the Moscow Times, the deal is 'fairly general' and does not mention loans.  Gazprom has not as of yet agreed on the price of natural gas, says Ria-Novosti.  Factbox on Russia-China energy relations here.  Gazprom is apparently on the verge of opening a Brazilian office that will manage its expanding Latin American operations.  ITAR-TASS reports that Iraq is ready to commence talks with Lukoil regarding ...

From the President of the Russian Federation's video blog, an attack on the Ukraine, which has been picked up by some news outlets.  Medvedev's complaints about the Ukrainian leadership are familiar - NATO, energy relations, and the attempt to classify the Joseph Stalin-imposed famine of 1932-33 as a genocide.

Given all the news this week of Russia and Italy's South Stream deal with Turkey in exchange for a nuclear power plant, I thought I would repost an article written by Robert Amsterdam last fall in Energy Risk on Turkey's political pipelines.

FROM OCT. 2008, ENERGY RISK:

Turkey's political pipelines

Turkey's strategic position at the crossroads of East and West has put it at the centre of a geopolitical tug of war, with energy supply a key driver. Robert Amsterdam examines the energy policies being brought to bear in the region

Turkey's role in global affairs is defined by its geostrategic importance as the bridge between Europe and the Near East. Following Russia's invasion and occupation of Georgia in August, which caused considerable energy supply jitters, Turkey was once again thrust into the spotlight as the European

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A further group of Russian energy companies is planning to ask the government for ‘tens of billions of dollars of cheap loans’ to stave off the effects of the financial crisis. ‘Turkmen gas riches may exceed the West’s wildest dreams’ - if so, what lies ahead for EU energy relations? Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated his view that sanctioning Iran for its nuclear work is ‘counterproductive’.

Russia and South Korea have signed a preliminary agreement on a $90 billion energy supply project involving Gazprom and Kogas. The 30-year project is planned to go ahead in 2015, and will allow Russia to diversify away from Europe as well as linking South and North Korea. Russia blames the US for stalls in talks to renew the START 1 treaty aimed at reducing both countries’ nuclear arms supplies. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will visit Russia this week to discuss energy relations. Did the Russian government engineer a slowdown in oil production by raising taxes? Gazprom may build a $935 million natural-gas pipeline in Russia's Far East next year. Is TNK-BP finally solving some of its problems?