Russia’s oil firm Rosneft has signed cooperation framework agreement with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) opening the door wide to Russian investments as Moscow deepens its foray into the chaotic North African country. The agreement signed between Rosneft’s Igor Sechin and NOC’s Mustafa Sanalla in London on Monday allows the Russian company to explore Libya’s oil capacities and participate in the production. “This agreement with Russia’s largest oil company lays the foundations for us to identify jointly areas of cooperation. Working with the NOC, Rosneft and Russia can play an important and constructive role in Libya,” the Libya Herald quoted him as saying. “Putin is testing the west, he is testing the [NATO] alliance and at any point he sees weakness he pushes home.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 22, 2017 17:24 UTC