Development of Energy Community will strengthen EU's position in relation to Russia - Oettinger
BRUSSELS. Nov 16 (Interfax) - The European Union might be able to maintain an equal partnership with Russia on the energy market thanks to the development of the Energy Community, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said at a Thursday press conference in Brussels when asked about the prospects of the EU's Energy Community.
Russia's strong position must be acknowledged, as the country possesses the largest gas reserves. It owns a number of gas pipelines and offers different gas prices to various buyers in the EU, Oettinger said.
If Europe wants to continue its partnership with Russia, it has to adopt a unified strategy that will account for its policy of differentiated interests and provide for functional infrastructure, he said.
Several EU countries have only one pipeline for gas supplies. As soon as they build interconnected pipelines uniting EU members and connecting the north and south, and once the region introduces several technologies allowing it to move gas from east to west and in reverse, the EU will be able to talk about diversification. Once this happens, the region will find itself in a stronger position and capable of an equal partnership with Russia, Oettinger said.
As an example, Oettinger mentioned Moldova, which currently gets all of its gas from Russia and almost entirely depends on gas in the production of electricity and heat. However, after the construction of a gas pipeline connecting Moldova and Romania, which the EU is currently planning and on which a decision will soon be made, Moldova will have two different gas sources and the opportunity to choose. This means that it will enhance its position in relation to its suppliers, he said. Oettinger predicted that this could happen within two years.