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Gaz De France joining Nabucco project stirs confusion, controversy

The invitation addressed to Gaz de France or other company to participate in the Nabucco project is a decision to be agreed upon by the entire consortium, said late on Tuesday in Vienna the Romanian Minister of Economy and Finance Varujan Vosganian. ‘Romania is open to developing the Nabucco consortium, but any decision must be taken together,' said Vosganian, while signing the agreement for the adoption of German company RWE as 6th partner, daily Nine O'Clock reports on Thursday.

Vosganian explained that the statements of Romanian and French Presidents Traian Basescu and Nicholas Sarkozy, according to whom Gaz de France should be included in the consortium, must be regarded as an aspect of protocol of an official visit. The statement generated confusion among the consortium, as Romania seems to take decisions alone, especially before the agreement with RWE. Vosganian assured the other shareholders that Romania does not take decisions alone and such decisions must be taken together. OMV President Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer said that six partners are enough, but the consortium members (OMV Austria, Botas Turkey, Transgaz Romania, Bulgargaz Bulgaria, Mol Hungary and RWE Germany) are open to a new partner. According to the consortium, the construction works should start in 2010 and the first transport done in 2013. Vosganian stated also that Romania sends Russia contradictory signals ‘at the highest level', referring to President Traian Basescu. ‘When it comes to Russia, Romania issues very contradictory signals, at the highest level' Vosganian stated on his return from Vienna . Asked who blocks the existence of favourable political relations with Russia, Vosganian answered: ‘The President'. Romania's pro-European orientation is another cause behind the cooling of Romanian-Russian relations. ‘By focusing on EU members states, Romania has created an imbalance in its foreign policy and economic diplomacy in regard to other states' Vosganian stated, adding that a similar situation exists in the relations with China and India. Vosganian has stated that Russia is receptive to political relations with Romania but it awaits a signal from the Romanian side. ‘We have to issue a political signal' Vosganian stated. The Minister added that talks with Russia could take place in a favourable political context but that the current status of bilateral relations translates in a Romanian annual trade deficit of 3.5 billion euros, 98 percent of which consists of fossil fuel imports. A downside of the lack of connections with Russia is represented by the inexistence of direct natural gas imports from Russia, the imports going through intermediaries that practice prices that are up to 10 percent higher than the acquisition prices. Romania imports from Russia in that fashion around 40 percent of its national annual consumption that totals around 18 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Wintershall and Conef are companies that supply Romania with natural gas imported from Russia. Romania has no direct natural gas imports from Russia and uses intermediaries, with the named companies being among them. Referring to the natural gas issue, Vosganian pointed out that the natural gas social fund dedicated to the payment of natural gas bills of low income persons will total 200 million euros (55.2 million euros) this year. The fund will be formed by contributions from Petrom and Romgaz companies. ‘Petrom will contribute 30 million euros and the rest of the sum will be covered by Romgaz' Vosganian added, underlining that it is not known what sums will be earmarked in the future. Meanwhile, authorities in Ankara continue to oppose Gaz de France's participation in the Nabucco project and criticize France's stance on the Armenian genocide and on Turkey's accession to the European Union, a Turkish energy official stated for Reuters, daily Nine O'Clock informs. The statement came while Romania and the Hungarian state-owned MOL company announced this week that they back the French Group's participation in the consortium that will build and manage the Nabucco pipeline. On the other hand, the prestigious French daily ‘Le Monde' was quoting Gaz de France representatives that the company had not yet made a decision regarding its involvement in the Nabucco project, according to Antena 3 TV. Sursa: http://www.rompress.ro

Tags: romania vosganian russia relations imports natural stated nabucco consortium romanian france project

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