Moscow tries to lobby its interests at G8 summit in Tokyo
A G8 summit has started in Japan today, on July 7. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that “it was necessary to discuss the further development of energy markets”. “Let us do it”, - agreed the Russian President. Merkel noted that is was not only a matter of bilateral relations but an issue on the agenda of “the great eight”. Both leaders exchanged compliments about their successful and close cooperation which made transit countries worry about their interests not being taken into account in case of a Russia-Germany gefecht. If Russia and Germany construct a gas pipeline below the Baltic Sea, Belarus, the Baltic States and Poland will become easy pray to oil and gas blackmail. It will undermine their sovereignty greatly. That is why little neighbours need to know what agreements are made by G8 Herculeses overhead.
An observer Raman Yakauleuski advised that attention should be paid to the route of the Russian President on his way to Tokyo.
Yakauleuskі: "He visited Baku, Ashgabat and Astana. The main goal of the voyage was the energy issue. If we hear that the G8 is going to agree on the energy issue, it is rather a declaration than reality. Russia is really worried about the issue of alternative gas-pipes. I mean “Nabuka”, the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. I think that the fact that Medvedev is said to have agreed on the construction of a Russian project of the Caspian pipeline in Baku, Ashgabat and Astana on his way to Tokyo is rather a declaration than a fact”.
Mr. Yakauleuski draws attention to the fact that neither the USA not Europe lack clear minds who think that the dependency of Europe on one supplier controlled by the Kremlin is inadmissible.
Yakauleuskі: "An energy summit dedicated to the creation of an energy space for transit countries that should protect their interest from Russia, a gas monopolist, was organized in Kiev in May. I did not see any agreements posing a threat to Belarus and other transit countries there. However, we all know about the Russia-Germany agreement “The Northern Beam”. It is not that simple. I would not forget about the USA’s attempts to activate such projects as “Nabuka”, the Odessa-Brody gas pipeline and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.
Meanwhile, Russian human rights activists Elena Boner and Vladimir Bukovskii turned to US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama asking them to strive for the expulsion of Russia from the G8. According to the authors of the appeal, “the current Russian authorizes pose a threat to Russian citizens and western democracies” and tend to use “energy blackmail” in their foreign policy.
Photo by: NewsRu.com
An observer Raman Yakauleuski advised that attention should be paid to the route of the Russian President on his way to Tokyo.
Yakauleuskі: "He visited Baku, Ashgabat and Astana. The main goal of the voyage was the energy issue. If we hear that the G8 is going to agree on the energy issue, it is rather a declaration than reality. Russia is really worried about the issue of alternative gas-pipes. I mean “Nabuka”, the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. I think that the fact that Medvedev is said to have agreed on the construction of a Russian project of the Caspian pipeline in Baku, Ashgabat and Astana on his way to Tokyo is rather a declaration than a fact”.
Mr. Yakauleuski draws attention to the fact that neither the USA not Europe lack clear minds who think that the dependency of Europe on one supplier controlled by the Kremlin is inadmissible.
Yakauleuskі: "An energy summit dedicated to the creation of an energy space for transit countries that should protect their interest from Russia, a gas monopolist, was organized in Kiev in May. I did not see any agreements posing a threat to Belarus and other transit countries there. However, we all know about the Russia-Germany agreement “The Northern Beam”. It is not that simple. I would not forget about the USA’s attempts to activate such projects as “Nabuka”, the Odessa-Brody gas pipeline and the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline.
Meanwhile, Russian human rights activists Elena Boner and Vladimir Bukovskii turned to US presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama asking them to strive for the expulsion of Russia from the G8. According to the authors of the appeal, “the current Russian authorizes pose a threat to Russian citizens and western democracies” and tend to use “energy blackmail” in their foreign policy.
Photo by: NewsRu.com
