GDF Suez must sign this evening at the Elysee Palace a Protocol Agreement confirming its entry in the capital of the North Stream gas pipeline. This will be the main result of the first day of the State of the Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev Paris visit, three months after the travel of the head of Government, Vladimir Poutine, already successful in industrial agreements. North Stream is the pipeline built under the Baltic Sea by the semi-public Russian monopoly Gazprom to supply Europe, including the Germany. "GDF Suez will redeem shares in the German partners of Gazprom (4.5 to E.ON) and 4.5 at Wintershall to become 9 shareholder", confirms a close source of the negotiations, which lasted more than a year.
"The Protocol Agreement also must formalize the beginning of discussions to increase Gazprom supplies to the France", according to the same source. With aim of the additional capabilities, North Stream, 1.5 billion cubic metres per year. In total, from 2012, the future gas pipeline must carry some 55 billion cubic metres of gas annually from the Russia to the Germany. In November, during the visit of Vladimir Putin, EDF had already announced a framework agreement allowing his entry to 10 in South Stream, the other major Gazprom pipeline project, via the Black Sea. These two projects are also intended to secure the Russia European opportunities, world's leading exporter of gas, bypassing countries that Moscow considers as risky on a geostrategic level, Ukraine, Poland, Baltic States.
A business-friendly friendship
Another major agreement to be signed today in the Elysee Palace: the finalization of equity of 25 of Alstom in the capital of the Russian rail manufacturer Transmashholding. "Beyond the acquisition, it is technological cooperation and joint production for we open the doors of the Russian rail market." The French Government supports us. Chirac to Sarkozy, the policy is on our side! ", enthuses on at Alstom in Moscow. Reference to the friendship between the Elysee Palace and the Kremlin, conducive to industrial contracts. "If relations were not good, GDF Suez, Alstom or Total could not grow in Russia as they do." "It helps, but is not enough," recognizes Arnaud Breuillac, Vice President of Total.
The program of the visit of Dmitry Medvedev, whose stake is also policy, with particular discussions on possible Russian support for new sanctions against the Iran, also includes a meeting tomorrow at the Medef. The head of the Kremlin will be accompanied by several oligarchs (Mikhail Prokhorov, Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg). "This visit is very important because, beyond trade for businesses, this well establish political reconciliation between the France and the Russia line," says one of industrial stakeholders in this meeting.
Military contract with a view
The visit of Dmitry Medvedev might otherwise to elaborate on the possible purchase by Moscow of at least a French building projection and command (BPC) Mistral, helicopter heavy equipment transporter ship class. A controversial sale because it would be the first acquisition by the Russia of military equipment from a NATO country. "We do expect more than a choice political Summit." "On the commercial and technical plans, everything has been said", is a French speaker following the record in Moscow. "We made the decision: buy from the French", says one of its counterparts in the Russian Government.
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