No cow, no ice, let's try to do it nice...

No cow, no ice, let's try to do it nice...
That bit of doggrel (poetry written by dogs :) ) sums up the real truth behind the whole TeliaSonera, Lattelekom and Golden Telecom uproar in a teacup.
TeliaSonera doesn't object to Lattelekom doing a deal with Golden Telecom, they were just ever so slightly peeved that doing a big dog and pony show about it wasn't coordinated according to procedures. NOTHING was said about Golden Telecom's links with the Alfa Group. Once these procedural matters are ironed out, the whole thing can be announced with a brass band for all anyone cares.
As for the planned February 27 press conference, it fortunately didn't happen because the Golden Telecom executive couldn't make it. Up to you to decide whether he was the dog or the pony. But alls well that seems to end well. Forget the bizarro Swedish expression about a cow on the ice. The cow was never there. Sometimes the truth is more boring than a potentially good story. But the point of reporting and good blogging (even in a somewhat gonzo vein) is to stick to the truth as much as possible.
At the same time, there was enough background noise between TeliaSonera and Alfa to justify writing the cow on the ice post. It's a blog, after all. The wackazoonie (nice new word, eh?) story about Alfa lusting for Lattelekom by dear Natalia of Business & Baltija only tossed a log on the bonfire of vanities.