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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Thursday, February 2, 2012
BILATERAL ties between Brunei and Russia, which started "from scratch", are now escalating and is now at an advanced level of formulating aims and terms for a versatile collaboration, said the Russian envoy to Brunei.
Russia's ambassador to Brunei Victor A Seleznev said in an e-mail to The Brunei Times that Brunei has had the opportunity to familiarise itself with the production and technological potential of Russia's hydrocarbon industry, for example, heavy oil extraction.
"Russian companies presented an overwhelming list of sophisticated modern machinery and technology for use by the Bruneian partners," he said, adding that Russia's Foreign Minister had recently confirmed its readiness to supply them while Brunei evaluates its needs.
Seleznev added that there is also a good possibility for Russian companies' involvement in servicing the energy industry in Brunei.
"Both sides have agreed to start examining perspectives of coordinated or joint efforts on the international energy markets," he said.
He also claimed that Brunei is considering input from Russia for collaboration in alternative energy production, including the use of underwater streams.
"There are a lot of possibilities for investment joint ventures in electricity plants construction, among others, in Southeast Asia where part of their production could be used in Brunei as well," he said in his email.
Other potential areas of collaboration Seleznev pinpointed include: nuclear technology cooperation, agriculture and medicine.
The ambassador said Brunei has been "notoriously active" in architecting future developments of the energy sector in 2011 and 2012.
"Comprehensive measures were taken to use local and international expertise to elaborate new visions of forthcoming expansion of oil and gas production, to inculcate alternative energy, to strengthen business synergy with traditional partners, and to diversify the range of counterparts," he said.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his visit to Brunei earlier this year spoke of concrete plans for Russia and Brunei.
"For many years, Russia has had very good relations with Brunei. The two countries are cooperating very closely, both in politics and in other spheres," Lavrov said in his speech.
One example is the intensive talks which are currently being held between the two countries' energy ministers.
"The Russian gas giant Gazprom is discussing possible contracts with Brunei Petroleum," he said, adding that "Brunei will probably buy some oil-producing equipment from Russia".
In 2011, four delegations from Russia's Ministry of Energy visited Brunei while the Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office and the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade visited Russia, where they held several discussions with state-owned and private companies.
Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times
Posting berkaitan:
--> Russia, Brunei jointly move towards prosperity
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