Belarus threatens to shut off gas for western Europe - Political Forum

Voland · 12-28-2006, 05:45 PM

In a row over prices for gas supplies, which can also be seen as withdrawal of russian support for belarussian dictator Lukaschenko , the belarussian governement now threatens to shut western Europe off from russian energy deliveries.
This would touch on one of the EU´s economical nerves..

Contract Dispute With Gazprom: Belarus Threatens to Shut Off Gas Pipelines to Western Europe - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News

Public_Enemy · 12-28-2006, 05:57 PM

This incident points the importance of Turkish gas pipelines from Azerbaijan - Iran - Central Asia to Europe which are currently under construction or considration... Glad that our statesmen has a better strategic view of future on this issue..
Sometimes I feel like those european leaders are very myopic, if Turkey would be a member long before, it could easily influence all turkic central asia and caucasia with EU's financial support and could provide secure energy supplies without worrying about russia but instead they'd prefer long discussions, stupid questions about a small island, ports etc... like small shop owners, they can never think big... Now, only way, europe would pray to god that USA would solve the problems for EU like Europeans were used to...

Voland · 12-29-2006, 04:59 AM

With your part about Turkey i basically agree, your second part is nonsense. Who is exspecting the US to do anything ? What role does the US play in EU-russian relations ? None...

Public_Enemy · 12-29-2006, 05:16 AM

No, you get second part wrong... I mean currently only USA is backing Turkey's struggle in central asia and caucasia to alternate russian gas sources to the west.. Also US backed BTC pipeline project..

Brother Oz · 12-29-2006, 07:34 AM

Can't Europe just get its gas supplies through Ukraine?

On another point, this is another reason why Europe must develop new forms of energy, we can't rely on fossil fuels, as gas comes from Russia and oil from the Middle East.

Slartibartfas · 12-29-2006, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Public_Enemy

This incident points the importance of Turkish gas pipelines from Azerbaijan - Iran - Central Asia to Europe which are currently under construction or considration... Glad that our statesmen has a better strategic view of future on this issue..
Sometimes I feel like those european leaders are very myopic, if Turkey would be a member long before, it could easily influence all turkic central asia and caucasia with EU's financial support and could provide secure energy supplies without worrying about russia but instead they'd prefer long discussions, stupid questions about a small island, ports etc... like small shop owners, they can never think big... Now, only way, europe would pray to god that USA would solve the problems for EU like Europeans were used to...

You are very right about the strategic implications of this very issue.

The problem is that its not the sole thing the EU has to get along with. After the (far too early) admission of Rumania and Bulgaria we can witness the even worth consequences of letting states in that are not ready yet. And where the Union is not ready for, yet.

Anyway, Turkeys cards improved in the game.

Slartibartfas · 12-29-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Oz

Can't Europe just get its gas supplies through Ukraine?

No, if that would be so easy, there would be no problem. Its about capacities I guess. I mean those different piplines were not only built for political reasons but because two piplines can deliver more than one...

Quote:

On another point, this is another reason why Europe must develop new forms of energy, we can't rely on fossil fuels, as gas comes from Russia and oil from the Middle East.

Totally agreed.
The sole problem is, that the new energies currently do only satisfy the growth in energy demand, but not substitutuating oil and gas.

Thats probably also where the highly controversial and not really economic reasonable atomic power comes in.

Public_Enemy · 12-29-2006, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Can't Europe just get its gas supplies through Ukraine?

Ukraine is still too open to russian infleunce, %20 of population is russian, nowadays orange revolution is turning reverse and ukraine can alternate routes but can't alternate sources (Russia) because Ukraine has no direct connection to caucasia, central asia, middle east etc..

Voland · 01-08-2007, 06:43 AM

German papers are reporting that Belarus has tonight cut off all gas supplies going to Poland and Germany. This is going to be interesting....

Voland · 01-08-2007, 06:49 AM

An article on how this gas war could prove more effective to bring down the belarussian dictatorship than everything that has been tried before...

Transitions Online: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

another one :

The World From Berlin: Lukashenko's Lost Cause - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News