Gazprom works to let business partners be its European lobbyists

Gazprom is working to turn its Western partners into a lobbying network to try to overcome the European Union's worries about its aggressive expansion plans. Companies working with Gazprom in its Siberian fields may be happy to oblige, analysts say, eager to strengthen their positions in Russia and in turn help the company, the world's largest gas producer, gain assets in Europe to achieve its dream of becoming a trillion-dollar company. Chris Weafer, chief strategist at the UralSib bank in Moscow, said: "Gazprom is creating a lot of lobby groups in the form of its partners. Instead of Gazprom having to knock on the door of the European Parliament, Total and BASF will do it on their behalf." Gazprom and BASF, the German chemical company, recently started production at their joint pas project in Siberia called Achimgaz, which... [read full story]