12/06/2017 (Agence Europe) – European Commission Vice-President with responsibility for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič said on Monday 12 June that he had held talks with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak at which he told the minister of the Commission’s decision to seek a Council mandate to negotiate with Russia on rules of operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project under the Baltic Sea (see EUROPE 11805) and that he hopes to hold discussions with Russia in September. Visiting Astana, Šefčovič conceded that he fully understood Novak’s desire to evaluate the negotiating mandate the Commission is granted, the Interfax agency reported on Monday. Nord Stream 2 “is a commercial project above all, and everything depends on how the investors will position this issue”, Novak commented. (EH)