US Energy Secretary says Nord Stream 2 a threat to CEE: Polish PM
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
25.01.2018 13:05
US Energy Secretary Rick Perry considers the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany a threat to security in Central and Eastern Europe, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has said after talks in Davos.
US Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Photo: KPRM.
Morawiecki and Perry discussed the pipeline, which will run under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Poland and other countries in the region, at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament’s work on new laws which could hinder the development of Nord Stream 2 has been delayed.
Under the planned laws, which had been expected to go to a vote next month, the entire length of the pipeline which will run under the sea would explicitly be subject to EU law.
Some MEPs have said that work on the regulation has been too fast. But a group of Polish MEPs said that criticism of the speed of the work was itself an attempt at slowing the law’s implementation so that it does not affect Nord Stream 2.
According to Morawiecki, if the contested project goes ahead, it will “de facto” create a situation in which the transit of gas through neighbouring Ukraine “will no longer be necessary.”
Morawiecki said his talks with Perry also covered making Poland an "ever-more secure" gas distribution hub, and about future supplies of gas from the US, as Warsaw tries to reduce its energy dependence on Russia.
A long-term gas supply contract with Russia is set to expire by 2022, after which time Poland wants to use its own resources, maximize exploitation of the northwestern Świnoujście gas terminal, and import via the planned Baltic Pipe, which is to supply Poland with Norwegian gas.
Morawiecki also said he wanted to work on “additional medium-term” deals for US gas supplies to Poland.
Poland last year received a one-off shipment of gas from the US, signed a five-year supply deal, and US President Donald Trump said in Warsaw last July that America was ready to help Poland and other European countries diversify their energy supplies.
Trump last year also signed into law tougher new sanctions against Russia which could hit companies invested in Nord Stream 2.
Morawiecki is set to talk energy security and cooperation with US State Secretary Rex Tillerson in Warsaw on Saturday.(vb/pk)
Source: IAR, PAP