BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

08/01/2007

EU energy commissioner: "no immediate risk" to EU oil supplies from Belarus pipeline cuts

The Associated Press

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Cuts in Russian oil shipments to the European Union through a pipeline in Belarus pose "no immediate risk" to energy supplies in the EU, the bloc's energy commissioner said Monday.

However, Andris Piebalgs said he was seeking an "urgent and detailed explanation" of the cuts from authorities in Belarus and Russia.

Poland's Economics Ministry said the country was suffering disruptions in oil deliveries from a pipeline that crosses Belarus, the result of a dispute between Moscow and Minsk over transit fees. Russia's Interfax news agency reported Belarus had ordered a halt to deliveries of Russian oil that goes via its territory to Germany, Poland and Ukraine.

In a statement read by his spokesman, Piebalgs said he was trying to find out if Slovakia and countries in southeastern Europe were also affected.

The EU energy chief said he was considering calling a special meeting of energy experts from the 27 EU nations to discuss the situation, in case they had to draw on oil stocks.

His spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espuny said Poland had 70 days of reserves and Germany 130 days.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/08/europe/EU-GEN-EU-Belarus-Russia-Oil.php