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Dzurinda: Diversification of Gas Supplies Isn't Directed against Russia
Saturday 23 Octtber 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, October 23 (TASR) - When it comes to the relations with Russia, Slovakia will be taking up the same stance, which enabled it to host the summit of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George Bush in Bratislava in February 2005, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda has said.
Dzurinda stressed that Slovakia is eminently interested in maintaining good partnership contacts with Moscow. "I'm interested in developing the interests of our people. It doesn't exclude that we courageously throw ourselves into dealing with issues such as diversification of energy sources," he said, adding that the Nabucco project certainly is carried out for the benefit for Slovak people. The project should reduce the dependence of European countries on Moscow in terms of gas supplies.
As many as 31 million cubic meters of natural gas per year should be flowing to the markets of Western Europe when the project is finished. Nabucco should be about 3,300 km long an the gas should be pumped into the main pipeline from countries around the Caspian Sea, the Middle East and Egypt. According to experts, the construction costs should reach €8 billion, the works may start in 2012 and the completion is estimated for the year 2015.
The most important issue concerning Nabucco - providing the supplies of the raw material - still has to be resolved, however. The gas should be provided by Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iran, but the binding documents still haven't been signed by Nabucco consortium.
"I don't know whether this is in the interest of Russia, but I certainly know that this is in the interest of Slovakia an, meanwhile, it is not against Russia that I will open the reverse gas flow with my Austrian counterpart (Michael Spindelegger) on Sunday," said Dzurinda, adding that the step will also be beneficial for the overall position of Slovakia.
Dzurinda will on Sunday meet Spindelegger in Baumgarten (Austria) at the occasion of completion of construction works, which will enable the reverse gas flow from Austria to Slovakia. The project was initiated in 2009.
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