Russian press gives Sarkozy credit for Total-Gazprom deal

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

MOSCOW (AFP) — A deal to allow French company Total help develop Russia's giant Shtokman gas field was sealed by a phone call between the French and Russian presidents, Russia's top business dailies reported Friday.

"A telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Sarkozy ensured Total's participation in developing Shtokman," business daily Kommersant said in a front-page headline.

On Thursday Russian gas monopoly Gazprom chose Total to help develop the field, which is large enough to meet total world gas demand for one year.

The Vedomosti daily cited two sources "close to Gazprom's management" as saying that the decision was sealed by a conversation between the two presidents. A Sarkozy spokesman confirmed to the daily that Shtokman was...