25/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - “If they wish to do so, they are free to do so”, the spokesman for European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told the press on Tuesday in response to the statements by Semyon Vainshtok, Director of the Russian State pipeline company, Transneft, who said on Monday in a Russian daily that Europe had so far been “over supplied” in oil. The plan to build a pipeline to the east through Siberia will provide supply possibilities for new markets (China, South Korea, Australia or Japan) but will reduce the share of crude oil for Europe, Mr Vainshtok said. In an open energy market, it is natural to have suppliers that seek to diversify their clients and to have clients that seek to diversify their suppliers, the Commissioner's spokesman said.