[ad_1]
France changes attitudes towards the Russian North Stream Pipeline Project 2 and imposes certain restrictions on it,
The Ministry spokeswoman confirmed at 39, a press conference in Paris that France to change its previous position, intends to support the amendment of the directive called "EU gas directive" when this issue will be discussed in Brussels on 8 February.
This amendment aims to extend the rules of the so-called "Third Energy Package" Act. EU energy companies for all pipelines entering the EU territory from third countries, and so for the North Stream 2. At the present time, these rules do not apply to pipelines that, like the Russian project, enter the sea of the EU.
On February 7, French intentions were reported by diplomatic sources of the German Süddeutsche Zeitung, as well as by anonymous diplomats. , writing and agencies.
The decision of France may deprive Germany of the possibility of assembling the voices of the opponents of the amendments to the directive to block these changes. According to the information available, the European Union does not currently face a unity on this subject and until now, France, as well as Italy and Spain, have supported the support provided by Germany to change plans.
In case of modification, it could jeopardize the completion of the Northern Stream 2 pipeline, according to investors, has already been built for a quarter
The agency "France-press" quoted a French diplomatic source unknown who, after the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, said: "France is neither behind nor against the North Stream 2. We just want to have guarantees on the security of Europe and on the stability and stability of Ukraine. "
Germany, whose companies participate financially in the project of gas supply to Europe by Russia, bypassing the transit capacity of Ukraine, the state-level, "purely commercial" state-sponsored, although Berlin argues for the need to preserve the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.
The Ukraine, as well as several countries of the European Union, mainly the countries of Eastern Europe, the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, as well as the United States, oppose to this project. They point out that the project is purely political because it increases Europe's dependence on Russian gas and is not economically justified. This position is also supported by the European Commission which, if the proposed amendments to the directive were adopted, would have an influence on the use of the pipeline. In the event of a cessation or sharp reduction in the transit of Russian gas by Ukraine, Moscow will be able to call upon the blackmail of Kiev more easily and deprive it of a significant source of revenue from transit fees, according to the opponents of the project.
Source link
