Russia hoping for no artificial barriers to investment in European energy - Medvedev
LUBMIN (GERMANY). Nov 8 (Interfax) - Russia is interested in being involved in the development of power generation capacity and gas-distribution infrastructure in Europe, but is counting on no artificial barriers standing in its way, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.
"We are interested in the development of gas-distribution infrastructure, erecting modern and environmentally friendly generating capacity, including steam-to-gas power stations. We are counting on there being no kinds of artificial barriers on the road of cooperation, even in spite of the differing approaches that are heard," Medvedev said during an address at the Nord Stream gas pipeline launch ceremonies in the German town of Lubmin.
German, French, and Dutch companies are actively involved in the development of Russian gasfields, the president said, and "there is no economically justifiable alternative to our partnership today."
Russia aims to grow "energy cooperation with our European partners," Medvedev said. "We will be seeking investments for production and distribution assets. I think that this involvement will make it possible to minimize the risks across the entire chain of energy-supply - from the extraction of fuel to the delivery of electrical power to the end consumer," he said.
"Russia has always thoroughly fulfilled its contractual obligations in the sphere of energy," Medvedev said. "Even at the start of the 1990s, when we found ourselves in a complex economic situation, our gas arrived in Europe without interruption," he said.