Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CHISINAU90
2008-01-30 12:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:
GAZPROM AND MOLDOVAN (TRANSNISTRIAN) GAS DEBTS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHCH #0090 0301244 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 301244Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6207 INFO RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0583 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3259
C O N F I D E N T I A L CHISINAU 000090
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UMB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: ECON ENRG PBTS PGOV PREL MD RU
SUBJECT: GAZPROM AND MOLDOVAN (TRANSNISTRIAN) GAS DEBTS
REF: CHISINAU 89
Classified By: Ambassador Michael D. Kirby for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CHISINAU 000090
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UMB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: ECON ENRG PBTS PGOV PREL MD RU
SUBJECT: GAZPROM AND MOLDOVAN (TRANSNISTRIAN) GAS DEBTS
REF: CHISINAU 89
Classified By: Ambassador Michael D. Kirby for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Gazprom continues to press Moldova to repay
its debts to Gazprom, which have been mostly accrued by
Transnistria (TN). One possible solution, a debt-for-share
swap with Gazprom's obtaining more MoldovaGaz shares is
gaining momentum. Gazprom remains concerned about property
rights in Transnistria. MoldovaGaz, meanwhile, is
re-evaluating its assets on the right and left banks (with
Gazprom and Tiraspol's cooperation) and exploring ways to
take advantage of Moldova's capital legalization to re-value
the company. The debt issue reminds us that the TN conflict
is just as much economic as ideological or political -- too
many people are making too much money to just let go. END
SUMMARY.
GAZPROM, DEBTS AND TRANSNISTRIA
--------------
2. (C) Econoff met with Ghenadie Abashkin, President of
MoldovaGaz, to discuss reports that Gazprom was ready to
negotiate a separate contract with TN and split Moldovan
debts between right- and left-bank Moldova (reftel).
Abashkin explained that the possibility was being explored.
He said he had met with TN leaders, including "President"
Smirnov and TN Supreme Soviet (parliament) Speaker Shevchuk,
discussing a possible debt-for-share swap with Gazprom.
Abashkin said Smirnov indicated his desire to divest TN's
shares from MoldovaGaz, and swap TN's gas debts for assets on
the left-bank. He stated that Smirnov's recent public
comments that TN would pay USD 192/tcm for natural gas were
untrue. Transnistria had only signed an agreement with
MoldovaGaz acknowledging the volume of natural gas destined
for right- and left-bank Moldova and transit volume for the
first quarter of the year, but not agreeing on price.
Abashkin said Gazprom was annoyed by TN's taking of natural
gas, especially since Gazprom was subsidizing the profits of
TN enterprises (Moldavskaya GRES power plant, for example).
MoldovaGaz and Gazprom want TN's largest industrial consumers
to pay right-bank prices for natural gas.
A SOLUTION IN THE WORKS?
--------------
3. (C) Abashkin said he had hired consultants to evaluate the
gas-infrastructure assets in TN and to explore a possible
reorganization of MoldovaGaz. He said the plan was to
re-evaluate all of MoldovaGaz's assets (right- and
left-bank),something that hadn't been done since the company
was established in 2000. Creating a separate legal entity
responsible for the left-bank (Abashkin was unclear about the
details),coupled with a re-evaluation of assets and capital
legalization, would allow MoldovaGaz to re-organize itself
with a higher value and isolate the debt. Abashkin believed
Gazprom's share of the new company would be worth about USD
250 million.
4. (C) Abashkin said Gazprom was pressuring MoldovaGaz on the
debt issue. He said that in late 2007 Gazprom had taken
MoldovaGaz to arbitration over the debts accumulated from
2005 to the present. In early January the case was dismissed
as the arbitration board found that Gazprom (a major
shareholder of MoldovaGaz) was also at fault for the
accumulation of debts. (NOTE: Gazprom previously sold
Moldova's pre-2005 debts to an affiliated Russian company,
Factoring Finance. END NOTE.) Abashkin said Gazprom's moves
stemmed from pressure it received from the Russian tax
service to account for Moldovan (Transnistrian) debts. He
said Gazprom was pushing MoldovaGaz to take legal action
against domestic Moldovan debtors, which are mostly
state-owned companies. Abashkin opined that ultimately any
legal action would lead these companies to bankruptcy,
forcing the government to assume their debts.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) It seems that Gazprom, MoldovaGaz and the TN
authorities are moving forward on a possible solution to the
debt issue. A final resolution remains intertwined with the
political discussions about a possible resolution to the TN
conflict. Any debt-for-share swap can only go forward if the
Government of Moldova can provide Gazprom (and Moscow) solid
guarantees that Russian-owned property rights in TN will be
protected post-resolution. We expect the Moldovan government
will continue to include TN property-rights issues in its
package approach to solving the TN conflict. END COMMENT.
KIRBY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR/UMB
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2018
TAGS: ECON ENRG PBTS PGOV PREL MD RU
SUBJECT: GAZPROM AND MOLDOVAN (TRANSNISTRIAN) GAS DEBTS
REF: CHISINAU 89
Classified By: Ambassador Michael D. Kirby for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Gazprom continues to press Moldova to repay
its debts to Gazprom, which have been mostly accrued by
Transnistria (TN). One possible solution, a debt-for-share
swap with Gazprom's obtaining more MoldovaGaz shares is
gaining momentum. Gazprom remains concerned about property
rights in Transnistria. MoldovaGaz, meanwhile, is
re-evaluating its assets on the right and left banks (with
Gazprom and Tiraspol's cooperation) and exploring ways to
take advantage of Moldova's capital legalization to re-value
the company. The debt issue reminds us that the TN conflict
is just as much economic as ideological or political -- too
many people are making too much money to just let go. END
SUMMARY.
GAZPROM, DEBTS AND TRANSNISTRIA
--------------
2. (C) Econoff met with Ghenadie Abashkin, President of
MoldovaGaz, to discuss reports that Gazprom was ready to
negotiate a separate contract with TN and split Moldovan
debts between right- and left-bank Moldova (reftel).
Abashkin explained that the possibility was being explored.
He said he had met with TN leaders, including "President"
Smirnov and TN Supreme Soviet (parliament) Speaker Shevchuk,
discussing a possible debt-for-share swap with Gazprom.
Abashkin said Smirnov indicated his desire to divest TN's
shares from MoldovaGaz, and swap TN's gas debts for assets on
the left-bank. He stated that Smirnov's recent public
comments that TN would pay USD 192/tcm for natural gas were
untrue. Transnistria had only signed an agreement with
MoldovaGaz acknowledging the volume of natural gas destined
for right- and left-bank Moldova and transit volume for the
first quarter of the year, but not agreeing on price.
Abashkin said Gazprom was annoyed by TN's taking of natural
gas, especially since Gazprom was subsidizing the profits of
TN enterprises (Moldavskaya GRES power plant, for example).
MoldovaGaz and Gazprom want TN's largest industrial consumers
to pay right-bank prices for natural gas.
A SOLUTION IN THE WORKS?
--------------
3. (C) Abashkin said he had hired consultants to evaluate the
gas-infrastructure assets in TN and to explore a possible
reorganization of MoldovaGaz. He said the plan was to
re-evaluate all of MoldovaGaz's assets (right- and
left-bank),something that hadn't been done since the company
was established in 2000. Creating a separate legal entity
responsible for the left-bank (Abashkin was unclear about the
details),coupled with a re-evaluation of assets and capital
legalization, would allow MoldovaGaz to re-organize itself
with a higher value and isolate the debt. Abashkin believed
Gazprom's share of the new company would be worth about USD
250 million.
4. (C) Abashkin said Gazprom was pressuring MoldovaGaz on the
debt issue. He said that in late 2007 Gazprom had taken
MoldovaGaz to arbitration over the debts accumulated from
2005 to the present. In early January the case was dismissed
as the arbitration board found that Gazprom (a major
shareholder of MoldovaGaz) was also at fault for the
accumulation of debts. (NOTE: Gazprom previously sold
Moldova's pre-2005 debts to an affiliated Russian company,
Factoring Finance. END NOTE.) Abashkin said Gazprom's moves
stemmed from pressure it received from the Russian tax
service to account for Moldovan (Transnistrian) debts. He
said Gazprom was pushing MoldovaGaz to take legal action
against domestic Moldovan debtors, which are mostly
state-owned companies. Abashkin opined that ultimately any
legal action would lead these companies to bankruptcy,
forcing the government to assume their debts.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) It seems that Gazprom, MoldovaGaz and the TN
authorities are moving forward on a possible solution to the
debt issue. A final resolution remains intertwined with the
political discussions about a possible resolution to the TN
conflict. Any debt-for-share swap can only go forward if the
Government of Moldova can provide Gazprom (and Moscow) solid
guarantees that Russian-owned property rights in TN will be
protected post-resolution. We expect the Moldovan government
will continue to include TN property-rights issues in its
package approach to solving the TN conflict. END COMMENT.
KIRBY