Reuters: Shell wants level playing field in Russia: “Royal Dutch/Shell Group has called on the Kremlin not to discriminate against foreign oil companies when it awards contracts to exploit the nation's oil resources.” (ShellNews.net) 11 April 05
Mon Apr 11, 2005
LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Dutch/Shell Group has called on the Kremlin not to discriminate against foreign oil companies when it awards contracts to exploit the nation's oil resources.
John Barry, chairman of Shell in Russia, said Russia needed to decide whether it wanted to be associated with countries like Angola, China and Venezuela, which discriminate in favour of domestic oil firms, and the more developed oil producing nations, which do not.
"Russia is best served by identifying itself with that second group and levelling the playing field," Barry told the Russian Economic Forum in London on Monday.
In March, Russia's cabinet approved a natural resources draft law which would bar foreign-controlled companies from bidding for major oil or metal deposits.
"We do very much hope that the thin line between the protection of genuine strategic interests and unhealthy protectionism will not be crossed," Barry said.
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