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Russia slams EU plans to support Caspian pipeline
23:33 - 13.09.11
Russia lashed out Tuesday at an offer by the European Union to broker
talks between energy-rich Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan aimed at
creating a natural gas pipeline that would carry Turkmen fuel to the
West.
According to the Associated Press, Moscow's testy outburst over EU
lobbying for construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline highlights
Russian sensitivities over prospects that its grip on the supply of
gas to Europe could be loosened.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that only the
five countries bordering on the Caspian had the right to settle issues
regarding use of the inland body of water.
Europe is eager to diversify its gas purchases away from Russia, whose
recurrent disputes with transit nation Ukraine have led to periodic
cutoffs.
Western Europe relies on Russia for a quarter of its gas needs. Some
80 percent of the gas bound for Western Europe is carried through
Ukrainian pipeline.
A pricing dispute between Ukraine and Russia in 2009 left Europe
without a key source of gas and the union is keen to diversify its
supply.
Under a mandate approved Monday, the EU will propose a union-wide
treaty supporting the completion of the trans-Caspian pipeline.
Gas carried through that route would then be fed into EU-backed
Nabucco pipeline that bypasses Russia.
"Europe is now speaking with one voice. The trans-Caspian pipeline is
a major project in the Southern Corridor to bring new sources of gas
to Europe. We have the intention of achieving this as soon as
possible," EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger said in a statement.
The planned Nabucco pipeline is slated to transport 31 billion cubic
meters of natural gas from the Caspian region to Austria via southern
Europe.
The viability of the project has been called into question over doubts
that enough suppliers can be found to fill the pipeline.
Tert.am
23:33 - 13.09.11
Russia lashed out Tuesday at an offer by the European Union to broker
talks between energy-rich Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan aimed at
creating a natural gas pipeline that would carry Turkmen fuel to the
West.
According to the Associated Press, Moscow's testy outburst over EU
lobbying for construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline highlights
Russian sensitivities over prospects that its grip on the supply of
gas to Europe could be loosened.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that only the
five countries bordering on the Caspian had the right to settle issues
regarding use of the inland body of water.
Europe is eager to diversify its gas purchases away from Russia, whose
recurrent disputes with transit nation Ukraine have led to periodic
cutoffs.
Western Europe relies on Russia for a quarter of its gas needs. Some
80 percent of the gas bound for Western Europe is carried through
Ukrainian pipeline.
A pricing dispute between Ukraine and Russia in 2009 left Europe
without a key source of gas and the union is keen to diversify its
supply.
Under a mandate approved Monday, the EU will propose a union-wide
treaty supporting the completion of the trans-Caspian pipeline.
Gas carried through that route would then be fed into EU-backed
Nabucco pipeline that bypasses Russia.
"Europe is now speaking with one voice. The trans-Caspian pipeline is
a major project in the Southern Corridor to bring new sources of gas
to Europe. We have the intention of achieving this as soon as
possible," EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger said in a statement.
The planned Nabucco pipeline is slated to transport 31 billion cubic
meters of natural gas from the Caspian region to Austria via southern
Europe.
The viability of the project has been called into question over doubts
that enough suppliers can be found to fill the pipeline.
Tert.am