Russia hopes to keep gas and oil projects in Libya

MOSCOW, September 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia expressed "cautious
optimism" on Thursday and said it is likely to keep its oil and gas
projects in Libya agreed with the government of ousted Muammar Gaddafi.
"The new leadership of Libya sends signals to us about the intention
to revive interstate cooperation and we hope it would also include trade
and economic sphere and energy," Director of the international cooperation
department of the Russian energy ministry Alexei Sukhov told a press
conference on Thursday.
"A systemic and balanced approach is necessary and we look at the
situation with cautious optimism," he added.
Sukhov said it was too early to speak about negotiations. The ministry
began to draft proposals to resume and promote cooperation with Libya and
they will be submitted to the government shortly, he said.
"Negotiations are quite possible in the mid-term," he said.
Before the crisis in Libya Russia's Gazprom was engaged in geological
prospecting on the Mediterranean shelf and also on land. Gazprom neft oil
company cooperated with Italian ENI in Libya while Tatneft explored four
fields jointly with Libyan companies.
Russian oil and gas expert Azad Babayev admitted that French, Italian,
British and US companies will dominate in Libya. "The four countries will
share the main pie, but our companies will be also able to return.
Moreover the companies which did not operate there earlier - Rosneft,
Bashneft - may come to Libya," he said.