BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/01/2007

Merkel, Barroso say 'not acceptable' to halt energy deliveries without consultations

The Associated Press

BERLIN: EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that it was "not acceptable" for energy transit or supplier countries to halt deliveries without consultation - a clear reference to the unannounced cutoff of oil from Russia through Belarus.

"It is not acceptable when there are no consultations about such actions," Merkel said after talks with Barroso in Berlin. "That always destroys trust and no trusting, undisturbed cooperation can be built on that."

"We will certainly say to our Russian partners but also to Belarus that such consultations are the minimum when there are problems, and I think that that must become normality, as it would be within the European Union," Merkel said.

Barroso said that "while there is no immediate risk to supplies, it is not acceptable" for transit or supplier countries to turn off the tap without advance consultation.

That's what happened Monday when deliveries of Russian oil to Europe that move through a pipeline crossing Belarus were halted, as the two countries argued over new oil duties demanded by Moscow.

The cutoff has sparked widespread discussion in Europe about how to secure reliable energy supplies from Russia and how to diversify sources of oil and gas. Merkel, whose government took over the EU's rotating presidency this month, also advocates more renewable energy and conservation.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/09/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-EU-Energy.php