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Vladimir Putin Was Granted the Freedom
// of a LUKoil Overseas employee
Yesterday Chairman of the Russian Government Vladimir Putin met with Libya’s Prime Minister Mr al-Mahmudi, and, together with Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov listened to a detective story about LUKoil Overseas employee Mr Tsygankov’s returning home.
The Russian Prime Minister received his Libyan opposite number in a mansion in Vozdvizhenka Street, which he appears to like more than the White House. Anyway, the mansion now fully complies with its historical name – the House of Government Receptions. Interestingly, the Prime Minister holds presidiums of the government in the White House, where the ministers are to feel at home, no matter if they really like it or not; whereas guests are received in the House of Receptions.
Vladimir Putin looked blatantly rested at the height of the workweek. Perhaps, his triumphal appearance was secured by a bright rose tie, whose tint, or rather, sheen, was reflected on his face. It was the sheen of the night bonfire, Vladimir Putin warmed himself at half a year ago in the residence of Leader and Guide of the Libyan Revolution Muammar al-Gaddafi, while the leader proper prayed to his god making a break in the negotiations on the occasion of a sunset.
“I remember the warm welcome in Tripoli,” said Mr Putin (perhaps remembering the meter and half bonfire) to the Libyan Prime Minister, who would smile diplomatically and pat his hips mechanically, “And I give my regards (evidently warm regards – A.K.) to Leader of the Libyan Revolution Muammar al-Gaddafi.”
Mr Putin thanked his counterpart for the release of LUKoil employee Mr Tsygankov, who was suspected of industrial espionage and detained in Libya’s prison during almost a year.
No doubt, the returning of Mr Tsygankov was a generous eastern gift, which Muammar al-Gaddafi gave his friend Vladimir Putin ahead of his visit as a sign of good intentions and being guided by the kindest impulse. But at that moment we couldn’t even imagine how magnificently it all would be arranged.
Kommersant knew that Muammar al-Gaddafi promised to return Mr Tsygankov back at the meeting in Tripoli, but he appeared to be reluctant to part with the LUKoil employee. He might somehow liked Mr Tsygankov. Perhaps due to his openness, sincerity and selflessness he’s said to have had when asking his Libyan colleagues about the outcome of geological prospecting of Libya’s best gas fields.
The Libyan Prime Minister even laughed when he heard the words of gratitude from Vladimir Putin. He began speaking about Libya’s waiting for Russian gas and oil companies members (apparently not the ones like Mr Tsygankov) and said it was more about “oil exploration, production and refining.”
“We have a special attitude towards Gazprom,” Mr al-Mahmudi stated.
It was not surprising: I think, all overseas partners of Vladimir Putin have a special attitude towards Gazprom, and every time the attitudes appear peculiar in their own way.
“There is another matter,” the Libyan Prime Minister went on, “The one of developing Libya’s infrastructure. A famous Russian company (Russian Railways – A.K.) has been commissioned to work on the project of constructing a branch line in Libya (its length is 516 km, and the cost – more than $2 bln – A.K.). And we hope that the start of this work will be sanctified by your historical visit to the city of Benghazi at the end of August by a personal invitation of Leader of the Libyan Revolution Muammar al-Gaddafi.”
Vladimir Putin nodded, which didn’t necessarily mean, even according to the Libyan traditions of hospitality, that he’ll really come to Libya once again at the end of August.
“Yesterday,” the Libyan Prime Minister continued after a pause, “we sent to Moscow employee of company…” the Prime Minister stopped short, and the man who sat beside him telling his beads suddenly began doing it hastily, then bent to Mr al-Mahmudi and quickly prompted him something, “LUKoil Overseas Mr Tsygankov. He was conveyed to Moscow with our special flight.”
It was surprising, for the journalists first of all. Mr Putin couldn’t have been unaware of the occasion because it was intended to please him ahead of the negotiations, where Libya, according to the information of Kommersant, aims to suggest writing off its state debt to Russia, and buy Russia’s weaponry at the sum of the debt. According to the information of Kommersant, learning about the visit of Mr al-Mahmudi and remembering that Mr Tsygankov hasn’t come back yet, Vladimir Putin wanted to accord the Libyan Prime Minister a cool welcome and confine himself to the minimum of protocol possible in a situation like that.
So, the Leader of the Libyan Revolution had the motive to foster the course of events.
“We wanted to personally hand over Mr Tsygankov to the Chairman of the Russian Government,” Mr al-Mahmudi said, “We wished it would be a great surprise!”
Arabian traditions suggest that the head of an enemy would be the sign of the friendliest intentions (you can only fancy what kind of surprise it would have been to Vladimir Putin).
Thank God, the surprise was the safe and sound friend of the state of Russia and even its faithful official, if it can be put like that.
“He was conveyed to the plane short before it took off,” the Libyan Prime Minister added. “It was a surprise to us too. We were told that the Leader of the Libyan Revolution demands that we take Mr Tsygankov with us and hand him over to the Chairman of the Russian Government.”
According to the information of Kommersant, it’s true only partly. Mr Tsygankov was conveyed before the planned departure, rather than before the take-off. The delegation headed by the Libyan Prime Minister had to spend some 5 hours at the airport and on board the plane before Mr Tsygankov was conveyed. During the 5 hours relevant documents were processed and the man proper was taken to the airport. It means that it occurred to the Leader of the Libyan Revolution that he should make a fine gesture at the last moment.
“This step was implemented,” Libya’s Prime Minister said with the same blissful smile on his face, “regardless of the doubts and objections of the corresponding bodies, which suspect him of being engaged in a number of not that legal actions on the territory of our state.”
This said, Mr al-Mahmudi openly extolled the gift he made to Vladimir Putin.
“Thank you for the gesture,” Mr Putin finally got an opportunity to answer. “You even brought him on board your plane… It’s something unprecedented…”
Later, after the talks were over, the Russian Prime Minister added that in case Libya’s “security officers” need any help, Russia will render it. It was a favor in response to the one he’d been done earlier. With this, Mr Putin didn’t rule out that Mr Tsygankov was engaged in something reprehensible in Libya.
Finally Vladimir Putin stated that the discussion of a forum of gas strategic exporters must be continued. Head of one of Gazprom’s departments, whose name is so unpopular in Libya – Tsygankov – said after the meeting that he doesn’t like the “gas OPEC” formula in connection with this forum because “it was devised by Americans mainly,” and in fact “a fair price” is meant, which could be jointly set by the Economic Ministers of the gas exporting states.
So, a gas OPEC is actually meant here.
Andrey Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 01, 2008
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