Kafkaesque. The former Russian oil tycoon, who stood up to Putin, is back before his judges. Here is the story. [The following is a translation of an article published in the French publication Le Point.]

Le Point, October 15, 2009

Accused Khodorkovsky, Stand Up!

From our special envoy Marc Nexon

He stands up, opens his spiral notebook and pulls out 3 sheets of paper he has scribbled with his fine handwriting. He pats the microphone installed in his glass cage. "Can you hear me?" he asks, addressing the judge. Then he starts with a clear voice: "I know that in his eyes I embody absolute evil, but I would like to ask quietly a few questions to the witness of the prosecution..."

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Vladimir Putin told a meeting of international oil company heads that he is seeking 'stable and long-term' cooperation for gas extraction in the Yamal peninsula, which the country hopes could lead to a 25% share of the world's LNG market.  'Mr Putin indicated that favourable fiscal treatment might be on offer' at his warm reception for the companies, the Times says.  Putin's unusually solicitous welcome is the mark of 'desperation', the Telegraph suggests and argues that if Western companies consider their previous altercations with Russia in the oil industry, the luster of Putin's offers may fade.  Oil and Gas Eurasia details which former Yukos assets belonged to SeverEnergia, the Italian firm in which Gazprom has just bought a controlling interest.  Russia plans to ship 4.5% more Urals and Siberian Light crude oil from four Baltic and Black ...

RFE/RL examines the viability of Hugo Chavez' gas OPEC idea - which, it suggests, will face obstacles in the form of pipeline infrastructure and the manifold differences between the oil and gas markets.  According to Bloomberg, the Oil Minister for Saudi Arabia says that oil prices will be influenced by economic growth rather than the volumes stockpiled.  Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin says Russia 'will bear' the criticism from OPEC regarding its implied lack of support.  Russia has made its first foray back into Iraq in six years: Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko has reportedly reached agreements on the building of two gas pipelines and on Russian involvement in the Yusifiyah and Dibis thermal power plants.  Gazprom's second quarter profits have fallen 45% with the drop in crude prices, as the price of Urals fell 50% to $58.41 a barrel.  ...

The ruble has made its biggest leap in a decade, jumping 2.4% against the dollar, with Urals crude advancing to more than $65 a barrel.  GM has three final offers for the Opel sale, which included a modified proposal from Magna which would reduce the size of Sberbank's stake. Home improvement retailer Kingfisher is planning to expand in Russia with a new format store in Moscow, hoping the country has the market potential to be the 'next Poland' where sales have been buoyant.  Premier League side Tom Tomsk, which owes almost $6.4 million in arrears, will not be forced into bankruptcy says the Sports, Tourism and Youth Politics Minister.  Lawyers for billionaire Roman Abramovich have asked a judge to throw out a $3.5 billion lawsuit that former business partner Boris Berezovsky has filed against him.  Oleg Deripaska ...

International lenders and the European Union have agreed to 'intensify' talks with Ukraine over possible loans to help Kiev pay for Russian gas as the country indicated a willingness to institute concrete reforms at home.  Kiev has promised to raise household gas prices and to ensure payments of bills to strengthen Naftogas domestically.  Asian refiners are reportedly likely to increase imports of Urals crude as cuts in production by OPEC limit their options.  An article in the Guardian outlines the proposal of creating an IAEA bank of low-enriched uranium to guarantee supplies to countries that need nuclear fuel for their power reactors, all the while safeguarding the reduction of nuclear arsenals, as low-enriched uranium cannot be used for the production of nuclear weapons.  Russia has temporarily abolished export duty for nine months for 13 East Siberian ...

Turkey and EU countries have signed a transit deal for Nabucco, but analysts are still wondering where the gas to fill the pipeline will come from.  In response to the many doubters, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said, 'I believe this pipeline is inevitable, not impossible'.  Turkey has announced its hopes that Russia and Qatar will export gas through Nabucco and, despite opposition from the US, argued that Iran should be involved.  According to the FT, Iraq has offered to supply enough gas to fill half the capacity of the proposed pipeline.  The $11 billion project may make a saving on construction as steel prices drop.  The Washington Post describes how Nabucco could potentially offset fears of 'midwinter blackmail' again on the part of Russia.  Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina has said that ...

Russia is busy hosting this week: the city of Yekaterinburg will be both the first destination for newly re-elected Iranian President Ahmadinejad, and the site of the first meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari since last year's attack on Mumba.i There's a flurry of talk about the first formal BRIC summit.  Will the countries, manage to achieve concrete advances in cultivating a united front?  Or will their differences overpower?  The Moscow Times reports:  "Between the BRIC countries, there is really little in common," said Yevgeny G. Yasin, head of research at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. "Each of them has its own destiny, its own special character, and it will be much more difficult for them to agree among themselves than separately with Western countries." Is the organization, ...

TODAY: Russia condemns North Korea 'Hiroshima' size bomb test; Lavrov says election result in Lebanon must be respected; Medvedev believes influence in CIS states should be extended; streamlining the military provokes discontentA spokesman for President Medvedev has said that 'North Korea's underground nuclear test in the region adjacent to the territory of the Russian Federation ... causes deep regret and the most serious concern'.  The detonation was, according to Russian experts, of a bomb roughly the same size as that dropped on Nagasaki or Hiroshima.  Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that the international community must recognize the results of Lebanon's upcoming general election, regardless of who wins.  This comment comes hot on the heels of those by US Vice President ...

TODAY: Russia to delay NATO council meeting; Ryabko critical on US missile defense; ex-Yukos lawyer released on parole; Medvedev starts Internet discussion group; Lenin's birthday suitRussia has notified NATO of its postponing of the May 7 chief of staff meeting, citing a desire to resume political contact before discussing military issues.  In an interview with the BBC's Russian service, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that NATO is employing the 'confrontational logic of the Cold War'.  Kazakhstan has refused to engage in the NATO-organized military exercises in Georgia in a show of support for Russia.  Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabko has voiced concerns regarding US missile defense, saying he believes the US will not change its policy, and that it has in ...

The latest variant for fitting out Russia

Grigory Pasko, journalist

Grigory Yavlinsky appeared on 21 March at a conference of ecologists in the settlement of Dubrovsky outside Moscow. Here are quotes from his speech.

"...The freeloaders have become partners. Grab. Hold. Live for today. Stretch yourself out. Take everything from life. These are the slogans of the freeloaders. Pyramids have been known since the 17 century."

"I asked bankers who got burned on the default in the year 1998 in Russia: why didn't you foresee? Answer: when you're getting 300% profit - the head doesn't comprehend. Stagflation - rising prices and falling incomes. Inflation and a drop in production."

"In ...