Russia holds Ukraine responsible for European energy security
4/1/2006 11:51
Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko on Tuesday held
Ukraine, which serves as a key transit country for Europe's gas supplies from
Russia, responsible for European energy security and called for diversifying
export routes for Russian gas.
Europe's energy security depends not on
Russia, but on Ukraine, which accounts for 80 percent of gas transit from Russia
to other European countries, Khristenko told a press conference.
He urged the
European Union (EU) to take into account all the risks involved in the
transportation of Russian gas via Ukrainian territory and respond adequately to
the current situation.
"We count on an adequate response from the EU,"
Khristenko said.
European countries from Slovenia to Germany felt the pinch
of Russia's cutoff of gas to Ukraine on Sunday, reporting shortfalls of gas
supplies in freezing weather.
Gas supplies in many affected countries
returned to normal levels after Russian gas giant Gazprom pumped extra gas into
pipelines running through Ukraine. Russia accused Ukraine of stealing gas
intended for other European countries, a charge Kiev denied.
Khristenko said
Russia must diversify export routes to Europe for Russian gas, citing a
Russia-Germany pipeline being built on the Baltic seabed as an important step in
route diversification.
Germany is by far Europe's biggest importer of gas
from Russia, which last year accounted for nearly 38 percent of its
consumption.
Khristenko called the dispute with Ukraine over gas supplies a
commercial matter and warned against politicizing the gas row.
"The situation
should not be politicized, which has very serious impacts ... Russia is being
accused of exerting political pressure and blackmail," he said.
The US
Department of State expressed its concern over Russia' s cutoff of gas to
Ukraine on Sunday, saying it "creates insecurity in the energy sector in the
region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political
pressure."
The only proper way out is a calm transition to market relations,
European gas prices and European transit rates, Khristenko said.
Ukraine was
buying Russian gas at US$50 per 1,000 cubic meters over the past year, but
Gazprom has asked Ukraine to pay US$230. The two sides are still in talks to
work out a contract for 2006.
Xinhua
|
