Kremlin Withholds Comments On Rosneft CEO's Alleged Role In Negotiations With Venezuela

Kremlin Withholds Comments on Rosneft CEO's Alleged Role in Negotiations With Venezuela

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday declined from answering a reporter's question about whether Igor Sechin, the CEO of Russia's Rosneft state-controlled energy producer, had been given any special powers for conducting negotiations with Venezuelan authorities on issues not related to oil, and suggested that the question be referred to Rosneft

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st March, 2019) Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday declined from answering a reporter's question about whether Igor Sechin, the CEO of Russia's Rosneft state-controlled energy producer, had been given any special powers for conducting negotiations with Venezuelan authorities on issues not related to oil, and suggested that the question be referred to Rosneft.

"No, I will leave this [question] without comments. You know the press secretary of Rosneft very well and I have no doubt that he will be ready to provide a comprehensive reply to your questions," Peskov said responding to a relevant question.

He also did not comment on whether Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Sechin any separate instructions on Venezuela.

Rosneft is involved in several oil extraction projects in Venezuala such as PetroVictoria, Petromiranda, Petromonagas, Boqueron and Petroperija. In December 2017, the Russian oil company was also granted a production license for the Mejillones and Patao offshore fields, with the right to export the produced gas for over 30 years.

Venezuela is currently going through a political crisis. In January, Juan Guaido was elected as the leader of opposition-led National Assembly, whose authority has not been recognized by other government branches since 2016. After his election was annulled by the Venezuelan Supreme Court, Guaido proclaimed himself the "interim leader" of Venezuela.

Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10 after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, called Guaido's move an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

The United States immediately recognized Guaido, after which some 50 other countries followed suit. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other states have voiced their support for the legitimate government of Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, declaring themselves neutral and calling for the crisis to be settled via dialogue.