South Stream a Reliable Partner for Europe?

The South Stream gas pipeline is a reliable partner for Europe claims Valery Yazev, president of the Russian Gas Society.

Mr. Yazev was responding to statements by Joschka Fischer, the former German foreign minister and advisor to the Nabucco gas pipeline project.

Fischer was proposing integrating three major gas pipelines planned by European companies to weaken the bloc’s dependence on Russian imports.  (Read More HERE)

Mr. Fischer pointedly excluded from the South Stream pipeline, which is being built under the Black Sea by Gazprom, a state-owned Russian company.

“South Stream would not increase our diversification. It is a Russian project,” Mr. Fischer said.

Valery Yazev, president of the Russian Gas Society, dismissed Mr. Fischer’s claims, saying that South Stream included European partners.

“South Stream could be a reliable partner,” Mr. Yazev said. “It would allow Europe to diversify and improve Europe’s security of supply.”

He added that by transporting gas directly to southern Europe, South Stream would allow Russia to reduce its own dependency on transit countries like Ukraine and so prevent disruptions in supplies to Europe.

Read More for the New York Times HERE