China may grant loan to Rosneft oil giant to boost suppliesFebruary 27, 2013 - 13:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - China may grant Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft a loan to boost China-bound oil supplies, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said on Wednesday February 27, but did not say how much cash might be involved, according to RIA Novosti. Rosneft and oil pipeline monopoly Transneft currently deliver 15 million tons of crude to China annually via a Russia-China branch of the East Siberia–Pacific Ocean pipeline under a 20-year deal signed in 2009. Deliveries started in 2011. Rosneft received $15 billion and Transneft $10 billion in loans from Chinese banks in 2009, in return for long-term crude supplies. Dvorkovich said on Monday Rosneft may increase oil supplies to China by over 9 million metric tons to help supply a projected joint refinery project in the Chinese city of Tianjin in northern China. A firm deal is expected to be ready in time for a visit by new Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Moscow in late March, his first visit to a foreign capital as president, Dvorkovich said. An oil industry source previously told Prime news agency Rosneft was considering supplying crude to China via the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline through Kazakhstan Reuters news agency reported in mid-February Rosneft was negotiating to raise as much as $30 billion from China’s CNPC. A Rosneft representative later denied these reports. Rosneft is once again cash-hungry as it absorbs the cost of buying up TNK-BP, the Russo-British joint venture, which is costing it over $50 billion. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Erdogan wants “realistic road map” for relations with Armenia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for a “new realistic road map” for relations with Armenia. Armenia-Azerbaijan: Experts launch work on determining coordinates Expert groups from the countries started the process of determining the coordinates based on geodetic measurements. Yerevan says did not expect CSTO in peacekeeping role Pashinyan has declared that the CSTO would be expected to come to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border as an ally of Armenia Henrikh Mkhitaryan wins Serie A title with Inter Inter Milan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan admits that the team have long been imagining clinching Serie A against AC Milan. |