Pipeliners

26.10.2005 12:40 MSK MosNews - A state visit by Lithuanian president Valdas Adamkus to Berlin has sparked an open row with German chancellor Schroeder on plans to build a direct gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, EUobserver.com reported on Wednesday, Oct. 26. Just before his visit to Berlin on Tuesday, Oct. 25, the Lithuanian leader heavily criticized plans for the 1,200 km pipeline that will link St. Petersburg in Russia via the Baltic Sea to Greifswald in Germany. Adamkus accused Schroeder of "complete ignorance" of neighborly relations by sidelining his country in the bilateral deal with the Russians, German media reported. The German chancellor reacted by saying that Adamkus' remark was "in no way justified, neither in its form, nor in its content". As MosNews reported, the pipeline was officially announced in September in the presence of Schroeder and Russian president Vladimir Putin, who was in Germany for a visit. It has huge strategic importance as the direct connection will bypass EU states which have difficult relations with Moscow, such as Lithuania, Poland and EU hopeful Ukraine. Adamkus said after talks with Schroeder that positions had not converged. "We have confirmed the status quo," he stated, adding that "we feel that we were excluded from the discussions". He also pointed out that the building of the gas pipeline poses a substantial environmental risk, as the Baltic Sea contains large amounts of chemicals and explosives that were dumped by the Nazis during WWII. "Nobody can guarantee that it will not come to an accident," he said, adding that this would "bring the whole Baltic Sea out of balance." But Schroeder reiterated "the sovereign right of Germany to secure its energy supply in the long term and free from disruptions", the government's press service said after the meeting. The Lithuanian leader announced that he would raise the issue again with Schroeder's successor, German conservative leader Angela Merkel, who is set to take office on Nov. 22. Lithuania's opposition to the pipeline is shared by Poland, whose freshly elected president told German tabloid Bild that "this pipeline gives Russia the possibility — at least in theory — to suspend gas supplies to Poland, without affecting supplies to the rest of Europe." "For us Poles and also for our neighbors in Lithuania this is not a very secure situation. We want good relations and relations based on partnership with the Russians," Lech Kaczynski said. Poland and the Baltic states have instead proposed the so-called Amber Pipeline project that would run through their countries, which they claim is cheaper and environmentally friendlier, while at the same time providing them with steady supplies. Approximately one quarter of Europe's gas is provided by Russia. Poland gets almost all of its oil, and 40 percent of its gas, from Moscow through overland pipelines. Construction of the St. Petersburg-Greifswald line has already begun and it is expected to start operations in 2010.