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Lithuania removed its veto imposed over EU negotiations with Russia

27.05.2008  |  Publications

The Council of Ministers, composed of Foreign Ministers of the EU Member-Sates, approved the Mandate of the European Commission for negotiations with Russia regarding the new agreement on strategic partnership. The Latvian Foreign Ministry said that Lithuanian interests would be taken into account in the course of negotiations.

Negotiations between the European Union and Russia were held back by Lithuania, when the latter set up four conditions for Russia. One of them was renewal of oil supply to oil refining company “Mazeikiu Nafta” via pipeline ‘Druzhba’.

Director of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Violeta Gaizauskaite said:

“We are pleased that the Mandate, properly reflecting all Lithuanian proposals, was approved by all 27 EU Member-States. We believe this document creates a firm ground for further negotiations with Russia. Lithuanian position is incorporated into the Mandate, i.e. into the integrated position of all European countries vis-à-vis negotiations with Russia”.

In the meantime the issue of renewal of oil supply via pipeline “Druzhba” has not yet been resolved. Mrs. Gaizauskaite thinks this issue is important for Lithuania as well as for all the EU countries.

“The EU is developing a common policy related to the issues of energy safety and, obviously, when such issues arise in one country, it means they will matter for all the other countries of the EU”.

The pipeline “Druzhba” is used to supply oil to Belarusian oil refining plants however the oil is not transported further to Lithuania. Russians explain this state of affairs referring to the consequences of an accident which took place almost two years ago. Author of the idea of the Baltic-Black Sea oil collector, Mr. Stanislav Gusak, who was working in the Belarusian energy industry sector for 30 years, thinks that Belarus could benefit from the transit. However oil supply to “Mazeikiu Nafta” and Venspils has been suspended.

“I stand for this proposal. Belarus would receive an opportunity to earn money. Moreover, what is good for our neighbours is good for us. For instance, today, Belarus gets advantages from the pipeline Gomel-Mozyr going to Slovakia and Czech Republic via Ukraine. The same benefits it receives from the pipeline Gomel-Brest going further to Poland. The pipeline in question was used as a mean of economic blockade of the Baltic countries when Russia stopped oil supply through it. It was intentional. However one has to seek for other solutions. A collector and a pipeline Odessa – Maizeikai, that we have proposed should be constructed. That would allow removing all the painful contact spots with Russia. Russia is constructing its policy around this issue”.

So far the Belarusian authorities were not supporting the proposals of the Lithuanian side regarding the renewal of oil supply. Mr. Gusak thinks there are political reasons behind it:

“I think there is lots of politics involved. Mr. Lukashenko is implementing Moscow policy in Belarus. Belarus became a satellite in this policy. When a country doesn’t have its own policy, it has no choice it falls under the influence of Moscow. Belarus doesn’t have its own policy and its national interests regarding these international engineer communications have not been expressed”.

Source

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