Politics > Politics-Democrats > Russia signs Serbia, wins "pipeline war" with EU - So, the NATO war against Serbia was about the pipeline
| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-Democrats |
| User: |
"Gnostic" |
| Date: |
25 Jan 2008 11:23:11 AM |
| Object: |
Russia signs Serbia, wins "pipeline war" with EU - So, the NATO war against Serbia was about the pipeline |
Russia signs Serbia, wins "pipeline war" with EU
By Oleg Shchedrov
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia won the right on Friday to route a major gas
supply route to Europe through its ally Serbia, a move analysts described as
marking a Kremlin victory in a "pipeline war" with the European Union.
The gas agreement, signed in the Kremlin before President Vladimir Putin and
visiting Serbian leaders, alarmed the United States because it increased
Moscow's control over energy supplies to Europe and could undermine a rival
EU project.
Strong Russian opposition to independence for the Serbian province of Kosovo
was a key bargaining chip in the agreement for Serbia to join the South
Stream gas pipeline. Belgrade also agreed to sell a majority stake in
Serbia's oil monopoly NIS to Russian gas giant Gazprom at a favorable price.
South Stream is a 10 billion euro ($14.65 billion) gas transit project
organized jointly by Gazprom and Italian energy giant ENI to bring Siberian
gas to Europe via the Black Sea.
"Our close political relations were today converted into economic results,"
Putin's chosen successor, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, told
reporters. "This is a great breakthrough."
At the signing, Putin reiterated Moscow's strong backing for Belgrade's
campaign against independence for Kosovo, which the European Union broadly
supports. Serbia could count on Russia as a reliable friend and partner, he
added.
The EU, worried about its dependence on Russian gas, has been promoting a
rival pipeline called Nabucco which would take gas from Central Asia through
Turkey to Europe. But it has been having trouble finding enough gas supply
to justify the project.
"Russia has taken advantage of the current situation in the Balkans, when
Serbia needed strong support on Kosovo," said Chris Weafer, chief strategist
at UralSib investment bank in Moscow.
"The Kremlin has played a very smart and effective game over the past two
years, effectively winning a pipeline war with the European Union."
The United States believes the deal with Serbia, which followed a similar
agreement with Bulgaria, is deeply worrying, according to a confidential
Serbian government document obtained by Reuters minuting discussions between
Washington and Belgrade.
"The U.S. side warned about the political influence Moscow would gain by
controlling energy resources in Serbia and the region, and expressed a
negative assessment about the economic justification of South Stream," said
the transcript of a high level meeting between U.S. and Serbian officials in
Belgrade.
"They were especially concerned with Bulgaria's decision to join the deal
with Gazprom, because it undermines attempts to diversify European gas
supplies."
STAKE
Serbian President Boris Tadic told reporters as he started talks with Putin
that without Russia's support "Serbia would find it far more difficult to
defend its position on Kosovo."
Friday's agreements, signed by Tadic and Russophile Serbian Prime Minister
Vojislav Kostunica, gave Gazprom a 51 percent stake in Serbia's NIS oil and
gas company, for 400 million euros ($586 million) and a pledge to invest 500
million more by 2012.
Some analysts described the price as well below market value, giving
estimates of 1.0-2.0 billion euros, although others said the plant needs
heavy reconstruction.
NIS, the only state-owned oil firm in the Balkans to have escaped sale,
dominates Serbia's market with a monopoly on refining and a network of
almost 500 petrol stations.
Gazprom has big ambitions in the oil business and NIS will give it its first
refinery outside Russia.
Under the gas deal, Gazprom will route a northern branch of its South Stream
pipeline through Serbia and make Serbia a major transit hub for supplies.
"The other option for Gazprom would be to go via Romania, but historically
ties with Serbia have been much better," said Valery Nesterov from Troika
Dialog brokerage.
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"These are the times that try men's souls." - Thomas Paine
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