New Russia? In Norway

In Oslo today the focus of the yearly meeting of the Confederation of Norwegian Industries NHO was all on the High North and a possible partnership with Russia in the development of its oil and gas resources.

I belong to the "outsiders" asked to speak, and spent some time on the not unimportant question of where Russia might be heading and the consequences this might have for Europe and Norway in the years ahead.

My speech will - as usual - be posted at www.bildt.net.

I'll certainly have reason to come back to the issue of Norway, the High North and Europe, but in the meantime I want to attract attention to the linked article from today's Kommersant in Moscow.

It notes that what we have been seeing during the last year in Russia is "the largest wave of industrial nationalization since the October Revolution." And it is distinctly sceptical on whether anything good for Russia will come out of this.

I can only agree - and refer to the perspectives in my speech in Oslo today.

Kommersant: RAO Gosprom