By John Helmer, Moscow A decade ago, when Oleg Deripaska trusted Gulzhan Moldazhova, his principal money-changer, to negotiate with China, the authorities in Beijing were reluctant to agree to permitting what was then called Russian Aluminium (Rusal) to open a representative office in Beijing. Until then Rusal had exported aluminium to China through international traders […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow Just four months since the first Russian crude oil started pumping into Daqing, the northeastern Chinese oil town, the Russian pipeline company Transneft has charged the China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) with violating their supply contract, and is threatening to open court proceedings in London.

by John Helmer - Thursday, April 21st, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow It’s nearly time for the peonies to bloom in China. But not for Oleg Deripaska’s plantings, at least not this season. According to sources at Deripaska’s electricity company, Eurosibenergo, the Chinese government has so far refused to approve the investment of state-controlled funds by China Yangtze Power Company (CYPC) in Eurosibenergo, […]

by John Helmer - Thursday, April 7th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow One man’s poison is another man’s meat – so long as he chews carefully and doesn’t swallow. What’s been bad for Japan’s steel industry has accordingly been not so bad — you might say good — for the China market, and those who supply it with what it must have — […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
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By John Helmer, Moscow Oleg Deripaska’s electricity company, Eurosibenergo, is facing the loss of between 7% and 33% of its potential value in the Hong Kong market, as the banks running the attempt at a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange can find few sharebuyers who value the company above the range of $4 […]

by John Helmer - Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow China has joined an English peer, a Bush Administration retiree, and a special Kremlin envoy in the attempt to persuade or pressure the Guinean Government into halting its court proceedings and fraud and tax audits of international mining companies, and restore concession rights, corruptly acquired, to Guinea’s resource treasure. At […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
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By John Helmer in Moscow One of the reasons for pornography is that it provides a low-cost alternative to the real thing. Not to mention the chance to fantasize immediately about a future pleasure that isn’t likely to materialize — or to be affordable if it does. The announcement on Tuesday of Russia’s agreement in […]

by John Helmer - Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
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