Foreign Affairs Sep 19, 2008

Gazprom, Total agree to develop gas fields in Bolivia

MOSCOW (Bloomberg) -- OAO Gazprom agreed to explore for natural gas in Bolivia with France’s Total SA as Russia strives to regain influence in Latin America.

The two companies may spend as much as $4.5 billion developing deposits with Bolivia’s national energy producer YPF Bolivianos, Russian state broadcaster Vesti-24 reported on Friday.

Bolivia President in Panama

Panama, Sep 19 (Prensa Latina) The signing of bilateral accords and a tour of the Panama Canal Zone are among the aims of Bolivian President Evo Morales' visit to this country Friday, official sources reported.

The agenda of Morales, who will stay here five hours, also includes a meeting in private with his Panamanian counterpart Martin Torrijos.

Russia Builds Ties in Latin America to Challenge U.S.

Sept. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Russia is in talks to build a space center in Cuba as it forges closer ties with Latin American countries opposed to the U.S. in the wake of Cold War-era tensions sparked by the Georgia conflict.

The head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, or Roscosmos, Anatoly Perminov, who visited Havana with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin earlier this week, made the announcement in a statement posted today on the agency's Web Site.

Russia may attempt to extend Arctic control: Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has suggested that Russia may disregard international law and try to extend its control over the Arctic.

He says Canada has increased its military presence in the region in response.

Canada concerned about Russia's Arctic intentions

TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday that his government was taking steps to bolster Canada's presence in the Arctic amid concerns about Russian intentions in the frigid zone.

Harper charged that Russia has been showing signs of flaunting international norms in the region.

Venezuela says oil reserves now at 142.31 billion bbl

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 18 -- Venezuela's ministry of energy and petroleum has added 7.43 billion bbl to the country's oil reserves, raising them to 142.31 billion bbl.

The ministry said the new proved reserves are in the Junin, Junin Block 1, Campos Iguana Zuata, and Zuata North areas in the Orinoco belt, which covers 53,314 sq km around the northern section of the Orinoco River.

Venezuela-Russia ties deepen despite US pressure

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela and Russia are strengthening their strategic alliance with new plans to cooperate on oil production, weapons and even wireless technology, the governments said as two visiting Russian Tu-160 bombers left for home on Thursday.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, traveling to Moscow next week at the invitation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, is planning new oil projects with Russian companies and joint military exercises with Russian warplanes and ships in the Caribbean by December.