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Russia seeks triple energy alliance with Germany, Italy

Russia seeks an economic and political triple alliance with Germany and Italy, circumventing Ukraine, Belarus and Poland in supplying Europe with gas, the general director of Russia's National Energy Fund, Konstantin Simonov, said at the New Politics of Energy conference in London Tuesday.

By avoiding Ukraine, Belarus and Poland with a "Northgate [Germany] and Southgate [Italy] gas pipeline into Europe, security of supply will increase," Simonov said. He also said "Poland is not serving European interests but is interested in transit money."

According to Simonov, Russian gas exports to Europe are to "rise from 190 billion cubic meters annually to around 220 Bcm per year in the closer future although by 2010 or 2011 the upstream situation in Russia will become very serious due to an extraction decline."

Simonov said, however, that "as Gazprom favorizes foreign contracts, this will be a problem for domestic consumers rather than European ones."

The German ambassador in London and commissioner for international energy policy, Viktor Elbling, said: "While we do not agree with Russian gas pricing and energy should not be used as an instrument of political leverage, we see no viable alternative in supplying us with gas and Russia has been a reliable partner."

One source said of the potential triple alliance: "Especially Russia and Germany have a great deal to gain from such a 'special relationship' in gas matters which is the reason why you see such enthusiasm for collaboration in Germany and Moscow."

Source: the New Politics of Energy Conference, Platts Commodity News, London,  May 15, 2007


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