Russia Interested In Nicaragua Inter-ocean Canal

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20081218/ACQDJON200812180913DOWJONESDJONLINE000628.htm&&mypage=newsheadlines&title=UPDATE:%20Russia%20Interested%20In%20Nicaragua%20Inter-ocean%20Canal%20President

 

I'm detecting a small flaw in this plan...

 

The project is too expensive. Though the decision would be rather political one.

China and Venezuela (and some other countries as Brazil) could join the project that is quite realistic from technical point of view.

No doubt that our American friends would be likely upset. Their control over the Panama Canal would be devaluated.

 

Yeah, but it will p!ss off the yanks.

It would be better to 're-develop' Cuba though...

 

Is it? The article states $20Bn that doesn't seem so outrageous to me. It is an awful lot less than the NHS bill for 1 year. Or did I miss something?

 

Russian rulers don't care about the NHS, about pensioners, about education. Though what governments does care? Maybe American or British?

 

When was the last time a British or Yank disident was murdered by MI6/CIA in Moscow, Sh!tlips?

 

Russian secret services are too professional not to allow it.

 

The point I was trying to make is that $20 Bn is probably a drop in the ocean for the budget of Russia. IIRC you recently stated that the Russian economy was on a par with the UK. So the reason I used the NHS as an example is that it is a continuous expense for an economy aprox = to Russia's. In that way $20 Bn (roughly £14 Bn) one-off cost doesn't seem expensive for a permanent asset.

Estimated costs for the NHS;

How much would an alternative trading route be worth to Russia?

 

Given that Russia has peacetime access to both the Atlantic and Pacific, and open use of the existing canal, pretty much zero. Given that in wartime a 5000lbs LGD would be able to take out a canal's loch gates whether it was in Panama or Nicaragua, pretty much zero.

 

I think control was devalued a while back, though there's still serious influence over it.

Not sure what Russia would gain in what in essence would be a challenge with a new administration over this unless they're just tweaking everyone's nose.

I'm wondering what Ortega's relationship with the new administration will pan out to be. That, I think, might be a determining factor as well.

 

Ortega wants to build a canal, so Medvedev referred to the project as "interesting" and said Russia will look into it. It's not the same as "Yep! Where is our spade?!"

Whether Russia will take part in building the said canal or not, is not so important. What is important is this: "Medvedev visit to Latin America has been extremely successful, opening up the new Russia-friendly markets for goods and investment...

Following President's visit to the four countries about two dozens of agreements were signed, including agreements on cooperation in banking, energy sectors, the field of military technical cooperation..." http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://www.rian.ru/economy/20081128/156090523.html&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25D0%259C%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B2%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B2%2B%25D0%25B2%2B%25D0%259B%25D0%25B0%25D1%2582%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BD%25D1%2581%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B9%2B%25D0%2590%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B5%25D1%2580%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BA%25D0%25B5%26hl%3Den

It's Russia's return into Latin America.

 

Cheers for that. I must admit that I do not know but is the Panama canal congested or not?