Russian official invites Romania to join South Stream project

Romania has to participate in the Russian energy project South Stream, as well, but the first step towards a possible cooperation has to be made by this country, the vice chair of the Russian State Duma of Valeri Yazev said on Saturday during the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentary Assembly (BSEC PA), in Bucharest, Agerpres informs.

"Romania needs to choose South Stream, because it is a project with clear objectives. Romania does not capitalize sufficiently its energy assets. This country should be a transit one for Russia, for supplying natural gas to Europe. The standing I have outlined before the officials of the Romanian Parliament should be regarded as an invitation to participate in South Stream. But Romania needs to do the first step", Valeri Yazev said. According to the Russian official, the South Stream project has "sufficient resources, contracts were concluded for natural gas and it has technological accomplishment possibilities".

Regarding Nabucco, he said that "the Caspian Sea, the supply source of the future gas pipe, has run out of natural gas". He did not reject directly the Nabucco project and he avoided any political reference. "But both projects, South Stream and Nabucco, are commercial contracts which take place in parallel, at which countries and companies participate concomitantly", according to Yazev.

On the occasion of the Russian Federation taking over the presidency of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Parliamentarian Assembly (BSEC PA), Valeri Yazev said that the organization was supportive in relation to all the global energy projects at the Black Sea.

The new strategy in the energy sector in Romania shall be launched for public debate after June 15, according to Economy Minister, Adriean Videanu, who is scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Yazev, within the BSEC PA meeting.

Romania - vitally interested in the Black Sea region

The Black Sea region was, is and continues to be an area of key strategic importance and Romania is a country vitally interested in the development of this region, Senate Speaker, Mircea Geoana, said. He underlined the importance of BSEC PA which clearly demonstrates they key role of the national Parliaments and he drew the participants' attention to the fact that one should not accept the idea that has increasingly gained based on which the new American administration has an increasing role in the Black Sea region, considering that China is the second power pole of the world.

"At the same time, the issue which results is related to the EU role in the region", Mircea Geoana said. "A more active participation of the EU in the Black Sea region has more advantages than disadvantages - first, it is about resource and consistency. Romania is a country vitally interested in the development of the Black Sea region, Romania is not interested in being a geopolitical tectonic layer, with a connection bridge between what the EU represents and the whole of Europe. At the same time, the Caucasian area is a genuine European South - East", according to Senate Speaker.

He pleaded for a joint effort of the countries in the region towards the development and modernization of this region. "The biggest trap is for the countries in the Black Sea region to enter a game having a null result, where the victory of one area covers the influence of a different group of countries. We must have the political courage and responsibility for the interests of this area to transform it into an area of geo-economic cooperation. This area has several times failed to capitalize its huge potential", Mircea Geoan said.

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