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2ND Putin vows reliability in energy supply to Europe
dpa German Press Agency
Published:
Sunday January 21, 2007
Sochi, Russia- Russian President Vladimir Putin promised
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Sunday that Europe could count on
Russia as a reliable partner for future energy supplies and offered
to set up a stock of Russian gas in Germany.
After talks on the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin told the
chancellor that Russia was working to build new routes of transport
for its energy supplies to the European Union, which gets 30 per cent
of its oil imports from Russia.
A camp storing Russian gas could be set up in Germany allowing the
country to take over a distributory function in Europe, he said.
As a result of the three-day stoppage earlier this month which
Russia blamed on its neighbour Belarus, Russia was now trying to
reduce the dependency on transit countries and this necessitated the
construction of a gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea as well as
increased exports via the port of Primorsk near Saint Petersburg,
Putin said.
Moscow had a great interest in global energy security, he added.
Russia's move had cut oil supplies to Europe through a pipeline
running through Belarus.
Germany and other EU states were annoyed by a lack of warning from
Moscow when Russia stopped pumping oil through Belarus. Officials in
Berlin said it would have been friendly, if Russia had given the West
prior notice.
Including energy security in a new partnership agreement between
Russia and the EU was a "question of taste", Putin added, saying
there definitely should be "clear, written rules" to adhere to.
Poland is currently blocking the start of negotiations on a new
partnership agreement between Russia and the EU.
Merkel, who was paying her first visit to Russia since Germany
took over the twin presidencies of the EU and Group of Eight leading
industrial nations on January 1, told Putin that communications
needed to be improved "in order to avoid irritations."
Divergences in the two leaders' stances became apparent on the
future of the breakaway southern Serbian province of Kosovo with
Putin saying its future must not be decided under pressure from
outside. Russia has traditionally been a protector of Serbia and his
remarks came amid parliamentary elections Sunday in Serbia.
"A solution to the problem can only function in the long term if
it is acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina," Putin told
journalists. Any envisaged solution must be applied universally, he
said.
Merkel pointed out that the United Nations is responsible for the
future of Kosovo. Berlin has backed an UN proposal which foresees
monitored independence for the predominantly Albanian province, but
which Moscow rejects.
In terms of reviving the Mideast Quartet comprising the UN, the
EU, Russia and the United States, Putin supported Merkel's aim to
hold a meeting soon with the other members to bring Israel and the
Palestinians back into peace negotiations.
In reference to Iran's controversial nuclear programme, Merkel
said it was important to show Tehran that the door to further
negotiations was still open.
While Merkel does not enjoy the close relationship with Putin that
her predecessor Gerhard Schroeder did, the meeting was held in a
friendly atmosphere, a Kremlin official said.
Merkel also broached human rights in Russia during her talks and
asked Putin whether progress had been made in solving the murder of
Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya last October.
"The Russian legal authorities are working at full speed," Putin
said, but there were no new findings.
Merkel is travelling without any senior members of the foreign
ministry in her delegation. A spokesman for the chancellor denied a
Sunday newspaper report that this was because of a rift in policy
over Russia.
The Russian hosts had requested that the circle of negotiating
partners be limited, a source told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
Merkel announced that the next German-Russian government
consultations would be held in autumn 2007 in Wiesbaden, central
Germany.
© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency
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