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RIA Novosti
The signing of the agreement on the participation of Rosneft in the oil sector of Libya, Russia increases its influence on the situation in the country, writes the British media. Russia had vast investments in Libya before the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and now Moscow is trying to restore them. At the same time, Libya seeks to increase oil production with foreign companies, writes The Guardian, commenting on the agreement, Rosneft and the Libyan NOC.
It is noted that Libya is one of the few countries in OPEC, who have been spared the need to reduce oil production – she even allowed to increase production volumes due to the difficult political conditions. Are already working with Italian Eni and French Total, as well as the largest oilfield services company Schlumberger. Now the agreement with Rosneft. The Chairman of the national oil Corporation of Libya said that Russia could “play an important and constructive role in Libya.”
The publication notes that Moscow is becoming an increasingly important player in Libya, especially it is often regarded as a key ally of the head of the Libyan army Haftorah, which controls most of the oil resources of Libya. Haftar has asked Russia’s help to fight Islamic state, but European diplomats fear that it may become one of Union Russian President Vladimir Putin “authoritarian leaders” of the Middle East after Syrian President Bashar Assad and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al Sisi.
Earlier on Tuesday it became known that Rosneft and the national oil Corporation of Libya (NOC) signed a cooperation agreement, which provides for investments of Russian companies in the oil sector of Libya. This was reported by TASS.
The agreement will create a joint working group for the implementation of projects in the areas of exploration and production of oil. Also was signed an agreement to purchase crude oil.
At the end of December last year, Western media claimed that Moscow intends to support the Haftarot in the Libyan conflict, however, Russia maintains relations with the government of netsolace. VZGLYAD detailed analysis of the political situation in Libya.