ARA ABRAMYAN IN LIBYA

Maghreb Confidential , Morocco
September 13, 2007

A Russian businessman of Armenian origin, Ara Abramyan, who is
close to the Kremlin and chairs the Russian-Libyan Business Council,
travelled to Tripoli this week to prepare for a forthcoming visit
by Vladimir Putin. As they have done with Algeria, the Russians have
been negotiating for months on writing off Libya’s debt to Moscow –
USD 4.4 billion according to Russia and USD 1.7 billion according to
Tripoli – in exchange for the purchase of military equipment.

Abramyan could seize the occasion of his Libyan visit to back efforts
by Gazprom to pick up oil and gas fields presently being auctioned
off by Libya’s NOC.

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