Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

I was waiting for two responses regarding the Russian school hostage situation.

First, I thought if Putin was to some degree blaming the United States we might see a rise in oil prices through Yukos. A familiar ploy of Puts.
This did happen.

On Thursday, a court agreed to freeze the bank accounts of a number of Yukos subsidiaries, increasing the already intense pressure on a company that accounts for about 20% of Russia's oil output.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/03/1093939143234.html?oneclick=true


On Thursday, a court agreed to freeze the bank accounts of a number of Yukos subsidiaries, increasing the already intense pressure on a company that accounts for about 20% of Russia's oil output.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=aab1038cdb654518&cat=c08dd24cec417021


Second, I was interested to see China’s reaction. China sometimes comes in late in such situations and displays that famous Asian restraint.

China supports Russia against terrorism
(China Daily/Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-09-03 00:39


China is prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder with Russia in the fight against terrorism.

#msg-3951053

This time for China this seems a strong reaction and rather cryptic.

To me the ‘shoulder to shoulder’ remark readily invokes an image of Russian and Chinese troops standing side by side as one army.

Could be China’s way of saying back off Bush.