Kremlin's point man for China trade Gennady Timchenko sees more big deals
Russian tycoon Gennady Timchenko, Moscow's 'point man' for business with Beijing, says he expects more contracts to follow major gas deal
Tycoon Gennady Timchenko, who has had sanctions imposed on him by the United States, said yesterday he expects a flurry of deals between Russia and China following his appointment as Moscow's "point man" for business relations with China.
The sanctions are part of a broader drive by the West to put pressure on President Vladimir Putin and business and political leaders loyal to him over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.
[The gas deal] is probably the most important economic event of the last decade
"You know what Putin said? He introduced me [to Chinese businessmen] by saying now Mr Timchenko is the head of our [China-Russia] business council. In other words - it is my words here - he is our main man for China," said the billionaire, who accompanied Putin on this week's trip to China.
His appointment, as head of the Russian side of an officially approved Sino-Russian business body, was reported by the official Itar Tass news agency on April 29.
In his first meeting with reporters since sanctions were imposed in March, Timchenko - who until a few years ago had not given a single interview - was brimming with confidence, smiling and joking.
Russian gas giant Gazprom this week clinched a long- delayed US$400 billion natural gas deal with China in a major pivot of Russia energy flows to Asia.
"I think the Gazprom contract is probably the most important economic event of the last decade," he said. "This deal will allow us to balance between Europe and Asia and thus increase the competitiveness of our gas."