While no comment was available from TNK-BP, Rosneft President Sergei Bogdanchikov believes there is a place for the new kid in town but would not be drawn into as and when it would be so.

“The unofficial position of consortium members is as follows: we have no objections to TNK-BP’s participation in East Siberia project. The conditions and the time frame of possible accession to the consortium are not being discussed at this time, [however].”