Brussels, 12/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - Russia fully supports the principles that the European Union would like to see appear in the conclusions to be adopted by the G8 Summit in Saint Petersbourg on 17 July to guide future international relations regarding energy (see EUROPE 9230). This was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon by Russia's Ambassador with the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, speaking to the press in Brussels. Only hours earlier, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, had said during a press conference that transparency, openness and reciprocity were in any case to be included among the basic principles that are in future to guide energy relations between producer countries, transit countries and consumer countries. “We support these three principles”, Mr Chizhov said, explaining that Moscow is pressing for a “balanced approach” taking into account the “interests of everyone: producer, transit and consumer countries”. “A global approach is needed for energy supply security, an approach that covers the whole energy supply chain” from geological exploration to the provision of energy to households, the Russian ambassador said. Russia is hoping for and encouraging foreign investment (including European) in its energy production sector but expects in return that Russian operators will also have access to European energy markets and to other strategic sectors. “We would welcome foreign investment, including from Europe, into the Russian energy sector. But we expect a similar approach as far as access of Russian firms to Europe's own core sectors are concerned. Arcelor is certainly not an example (Ed. An allusion to the failed attempt by the Russian firm, Severstal, to merge with Arcelor), but an indication that some in Europe are not yet ready to go that path”, Mr Chizhov said.