I think I'm going to like Mayor Boris...

[AtheneNoctua]

He appears to be ending the (outrageous!) partnership with Chavez. And saving some money for Londoners. (by shutting down unecessary overheads like embassies for London -- why did Ken need these???)

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7419227.stm

And, everyone needs cheeper oil, not just poor people. What should happen is the government should reduce their 70% tax that we all pay at the pump.

I guess cheap oil is nice, but the strings are not. I'd rather let go of the strings even if it means no cheap oil.

But if you are opposed to do business with Chavez, then you'd be oppose to do business with anyone. Which is fine, we need to cut on oil consumption anyway...

67 grand not really that much surely?

"But if you are opposed to do business with Chavez, then you'd be oppose to do business with anyone"

Why?

Plus, the strings attaching Europe to Russia are actually worse. Think of the war in Chechnya ...

Which are the countries producing oil?

Franco, this is going to be a really boring debate because we are going to be saying the same things about Rusia. Why Russia and the part the greed for oil played in the Bezlan School tradgedy is never reported is beyond me.

Russia is indeed a country to be scared of.

The solution is a pipeline across the Caspian Sea so that we can get Caspian oil to Western Europe without it going through Russia.

so athene do please tell us where is the oil that you would have us buy coming from?

across the Caspian through
a) turkey
b( Azerbaijan/Georgia hmm aka Russian
or did you think perhaps via Iraq?

there is oil trying to be piped through from Northern iraq Iraq into Turkey
The security needed to guard that pipeline is a farce.

Otherwise you're tunneling through the black sea Russia = vested interest indeed...

Not exactly a quick or even possible solution methinks
Next idea?

Fact is oil corrupts because it is such a desirable and valuable commodity.
Cutting our reliance is more key than manking it cheaper.
it should be expensive because of it's price on our environment.
We need to curb our dependence on it, that would be easier than new pipelines....

Quite Piffle. There aren't many countries in the list of oil producers where it'd be more "ethical" to buy from... Norway, the USA, Canada, India, maybe.

Piffle, your tone is rather unwelcome since you evidently don't know what you are talking about. That sarcastic tone of superiority is only effective when you are right, which in this case you are not.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan_pipeline

The only link still needed is a pipe that goes across the caspian like this

um did I not say Azerbaijan and Georgia? Aka russo dependent and in azerbaijan case also under some pressure and influence from Iran.
my husband works within an industry which means I am actually furnished with some inside knowledge, not so much for development but security wise.
also have the benefit of a degree in Russian and Russian history as it happens.
apologize for any sarcastic tone but your tone in the op was quite agressive, appearing as if you had the answers. Which clearly transcend pipelines fwiw

didnt have problem with chavez
personally
but didnt vote for boris either personally

quite dittany
well he doesnt start wars for oil that is one thing in his favour imho

Chavez is a very nasty piece of work. Although he is a brilliant public speaker.

Yes, he is giving houses to poor people... in return for votes.

People who turn out to his rallies are paid to be there, free rum and red berets included. I have seen it.

He is polarizing Venezuela and making it a very dangerous place to live. It's true about the referendum. Anyone who voted against him has been penalised.. sacked from their jobs, refused credit from banks, etc.

He is not a good person for the Mayor of London to be dealing with.

Good for Boris.

ACtually I'd be surprised if most leaders - not just of non-1st-world countries - were not nasty pieces of work

But some are MUCH nastier than others...

I must admit I felt a bit uncomfortable about BJ dismissing the needs of poorer Londoners by saying that they were part of a great ecomonmic powerhouse (or words to that effect).
It seems a bit "Im alright jack."