Brussels, 08/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - The opening of the first of Nord Stream's gas pipelines has begun a new chapter in the sometimes tumultuous energy relations between the EU and Russia.
In Lubmin, eastern Germany, on Tuesday 8 November, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, French Prime Minister François Fillon, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger symbolically opened up the first 1,200 kilometre long Nord Stream pipeline which will carry gas from Russia, under the Baltic Sea and via Germany to the European market. Once its second pipeline opens at the end of 2012, doubling its capacity to 55 cubic metres per year, Nord Stream will be able to provide fuel for 26 million European households. It has been a controversial project, costing close to €8 billion, led by Russian company Gazprom (which has a 51% stake), German energy companies BASF and E.ON (15.5% each), France's GDF-Suez and Gasunie of the Netherlands (9% each).
Over and above the joy expressed by the leaders present at the ceremony in Lubmin, Commissioner Oettinger stressed the importance of Russia as a long-term supplier of natural gas to the EU. Without giving any details on the timing, the commissioner spoke of Russian gas supplies to the EU increasing to 200 billion cubic metres per year, compared with 125 billion cubic metres at present. Referring to differences, “perhaps cultural”, with Russia to explain the sometimes stormy energy relations with the EU, Oettinger called for a “transparent partnership” between the two economies, and called on Gasprom not to neglect its links through Ukraine and Belarus, which remain, he said “necessary” but which suffer from “not being in very good condition”. “We will certainly always have critical discussions”, Merkel said, calling on “dear Günther Oettinger”, to promote “mutual understanding”. “There is no economic alternative” to the EU-Russia partnership, said Medvedev, indicating that his country had “always conscientiously fulfilled its obligations”. (EH/transl.rt)