“If it transpires that Poland and other countries in Europe have massive gas supplies, then the question of whether we should pay billions for gas transportation over thousands of kilometres should be addressed,” Sikorski told Polish Radio 3, Wednesday morning.
Radoslaw Sikorski added that the best way to secure energy supplies in Europe would be to accommodate and develop existing infrastructure in Europe, although he did admit that Poland will continue to support the construction of the Nabucco pipeline, which is to transport gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
It is thought that negotiations between the EU and Turkmenistan as well as Azerbaijan on gas deliveries are set to begin in September, still during Poland’s EU Council presidency.
Meanwhile, President Medvedev, who has been taking part in the Russian-German forum in Hanover, has proposed building a third arm of the Nord Stream gas pipeline through the Baltic.
Russian believes it can increase its gas supplies to Europe by a third. “Without doubt, we have enough gas,” the Russian president assured the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who was cautious in her response.
“Let us wait and see what happens,” she said.
Nevertheless, analysts have noted that Germany will need to secure more gas as it proceeds with plans to replace old nuclear power stations with new plants, using renewable resources.
Russian authorities declared that they would abandon the proposed South Stream pipeline, a major contender to Nabucco, if deals are finalised.
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov pledged that Russia is able to increase its supplies to Germany, even if not through Nord Stream.
“We can meet the entire gas demand of the German economy, either via Nord Stream, or via the Yamal-Europe pipeline,” he said. “There are virtually no problems at all.” (jb/nh)
Source: IAR/Rzeczpospolita/Gazeta Wyborcza/ITAR-TASS