Caspian Energy Projects Must Not Be Politicized – Russian Diplomat

MOSCOW. Aug 22 (Interfax) – Plans to build pipelines crossing the Caspian Sea – and bypassing Russia – are the product of politics, not economics, Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov said.

“Plans are being voiced to lay an oil pipeline on the floor of the Caspian Sea. Difficult features of the sea floor and seismic activity are just some of the natural difficulties arising in this case. Why do all this, if there are less expensive delivery routes?” Denisov said in an interview published by the newspaper Vremya Novostei on Wednesday.

“Politicization of any kind will complicate the creation of an optimal scheme of regional energy supplies and has a very concrete price – millions, and even billions of dollars,” he said.

Denisov mentioned the Nabucco project to lay a pipeline from Turkey to Austria with an annual handling capacity of 31 billion cubic meters of gas.

“No one can thus far say what gas will be shipped via the Nabucco project. Nabucco lobbyists do not conceal that the main goal is to build a gas pipeline bypassing Russia,” the Denisov said.

But even if projects of this kind are carried through, Russia’s interests will not be seriously affected, he said.

“If it all comes off then great! Russia, as a gas exporter, has no difficulties in finding export routes. Demand for the gas is guaranteed by our traditional consumers for years ahead,” Denisov said, adding that Russia is not against sound competition in the energy sector.

“But it’s another matter when attempts are being made to pull one country – Russia, for instance – deliberately out of cooperation schemes only because it is disliked for purely political reasons,” he said.

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