US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger criticized Russia for unfair dealing and supported Ukraine, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan's role for Europe's energy security. Italy supports TAP pipeline, whereas the US shale gas represents an opportunity for EU gas supplies diversification
Energy relationship with Russia is good, but Moscow must respect free concurrency and fair market rules with USA and EU.
On Thursday 12/6 the USA/EU Council established a Western world common position towards Russia on energy policy.
As UPI press agency reported, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger told Russia should respect fair market and free concurrency principles in having deals with Europe and the United States of America.
Clinton and Oettinger also underlined the importance Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have for Europe's energy security.
On the one hand, Ukraine must guarantee the majority of Russia's gas supplies to the EU, and for this reason should establish a fair relationship with Moscow.
On the other hand, Caspian Bassein states are an important gas field which can guarantee Europe gas supplies diversification from Russia's control of the 40% of the EU energy need.
USA and EU also recognized the EU Southern Corridor as a priority project for Europe's energy security. The EU Southern Corridor is planed to carry gas from Azerbaijan directly to Europe in order to avoid the transit via Russia's territory nor pipelines.
A positive reaction to USA-EU Council is the Italy's one. Italian Ambassador in Azerbaijan Mario Baldi confirmed Italy's political support to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline - TAP.
TAP pipeline, whose shareholders are Norwegian concern Statoil, Swiss company EGL and German company E.ON, has been planed to carry in Italy to the Apulia region 21 bcd of azure gas from the border between Turkey and Greece via Albania.
Also Azerbaijan Presidential Administration's chairman Ali Hasanov gave a positive response to USA-EU Council by declaring Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan can guarantee Europe 200 years of gas supplies.
The direct Azeri gas transport to Europe is blocked by the Southstream: a pipeline realized since 12/7 by Russian national gas major Gazprom, in partnership with Italian concern ENI, German company Wintershall and French company EDF, in order to increase Europe's dependence on Russia's gas supplies.
The Southstream, which has been conceived by Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, and is supported by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Serbian pro-Russia President Tomislav Nikolic, will deliver 63 bcd of Russian gas in Austria from Russia via the Black Sea Seabed, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia and Italy.
Moreover, Russia uses gas supplies in order to ensure Moscow's energy and political hegemony on Europe.
In exchange of Germany and France's political support, Gazprom agreed low gas prices to German and French companies. At the same time, Gazprom imposed Central European countries - Poland, Czech Republic and the Baltic States - high prices in order to punish them for the political support to the European Commission gas supplies's diversification plan.
The USA and the EU are going also to cooperate in shale gas field. Thanks to shale gas exploitation, the USA became the first world gas exporter, overcoming Russia, Iran, Qatar and Turkmenistan.
After the sign of an important agreements with India and South Korea about liquefied shale gas export to Asia, Washington started negotiations with the EU to sell in the European market US LNG, which is cheeper than Russian natural gas.
Following the US shale opportunity, the European Commission invited all EU country to build LNG terminals, in order to import cheeper US gas and diversify Europe's gas supplies.
Matteo Cazzulani
