Cold front in gas wars

The BBC are reporting at 13.39 GMT today
Russia to cut off gas to Georgia

Russian gas company Gazprom has said it will cut off gas supplies to Georgia from 1 January in an escalation of a long-standing price dispute.

Georgia has refused to accept Gazprom's demand for a doubling in its gas price to $230 per 1,000 cubic metres.

... and they haven't buried Turkmenbashi yet !

Lord Patel has been chronicling the growing stranglehold on European and ex CIS States see here

Tuesday, December 12
George has Georgia on his mind and Vladimir standing on his toes
Sunday, November 19
Gazprom / LUKoil - Russian energy gets to grips with Europe
Tuesday, June 6
CIS states discuss defence and the UAE takes a look / Baku Defence MInisters meet from CIS

Also at Investigating New Imperialism 24/11/03 "Georgia, Velvet Underground in Overdrive"

Pic Happier Days, Ex US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld and Ex President of Georgia, Edward Shevardnadze on December 15th 2001.

Meanwhile 2 hours later Novosti report ...

" ..... Gazprom [RTS: GAZP] signed three contracts Friday on supplies of 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Georgia in 2007 at $235 per 1,000 cubic meters, the head of Gazprom's export arm, Gazexport, said.

Alexander Medvedev said the contracts have been clinched with three companies on condition that 2006 supplies total 1.8 billion cubic meters, with two of them for supplies throughout 2007, and one for January-March, as Kavtransgaz-Tbilisi has confirmed supply volumes for just this period, and is likely to prolong its contract later."

To be followed by the BBC at 15.08 GMT with the same news.

Short sharp war, no-one hurt. Russian Bear moves on to Kiev, and Рэспубліка Беларусь for a comradely chat with President Lukashenko.

UPDATE 10.30 GMT
The original BBC report timed 13.39 GMT linked above has mysteriously vanished to be replaced by the later story. Journalism is the first draft of history ?