I would say that it's not just KRY and GRZ that are having problems. They are the biggest holder of reserves, so they are at the front of the group wanting permits and or clarification. As well, oil has been the one and only source of operating capital for VZ. I don't think the average person in VZ, or even the beaurocrats, really see how important it is to get another major source of income happenning for VZ.

Another observation...there was mention of the permit that is being put together for KRY, as being 'thousands of pages long'. If this indeed is true, then I can see that this document is far more detailed and contains much more legaleese than any of us thought would be the case. Because we are dealing with a country that takes much more time to do this type of work, and the possibility that the beaurocrats that work on this type of document are not necessarily consistently the same people, I can see a nightmarish, painful process.

Funny, in my minds eye, I always envisioned the 'permit' as a lovely piece of paper with beautiful scroll work, scawling signatures and an ornate seal, that would be put up on the office wall.......THE PERMIT.

Such naiveity.

Penderite