Russia: Nord Stream wins new support
Russia’s top envoy to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, says that the gas dispute with the Ukraine has illustrated the need for alternative gas transport routes to the European Union and that there is increasing European goodwill for the successful implementation of the Nord Stream project.
Mr. Chizhov says in an interview with newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta that the former crisicism in several countries against the Nord Stream project is about to vanish. -If you have a look, you will see that the sadly sluggish criticism against the Nord Stream in European media over the last weeks has disappeared completely, he says, adding that the dispute has brought more arguments in favour of the project. -The Nord Stream is included in the EU Commission’s priority projects with regard to Europe’s energy security, the high-ranking Russian official says . As a matter of fact, the Russian official believes that the gas dispute with the Ukraine has only strengthened relations between Russia and the EU. –I believe that the stability of our strategic partnership has become evindent in this gas crisis, he says to the newspaper. The underwater Nord Stream pipeline will run across the Baltic Sea from the Russian town of Vyborg to the German Greifswald. The pipeline will be 1,220 kilometres long and consist of two parallel lines. The first one, with a transmission capacity of around 27.5 billion cubic metres a year is due for completion in 2011. The second line is due to be completed in 2012, doubling annual capacity to around 55 billion cubic metres. That will be enough to supply more than 25 million households.
