Poland's Tusk says Baltic gas pipeline uncertain
By Gabriela Baczynska
WARSAW, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Poland's prime minister in-waiting Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that Germany and Russia might soon abandon their plan to run a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea due to the mounting concerns of other countries.
The pipeline is being built by the Russian-led Nord Stream consortium including Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) and German companies BASF (BASF.DE) and E.ON EONG.DE, with strong support from the Kremlin and Berlin.
The pipeline has been criticised in Poland and the ex-Soviet Baltic states, which fear that it would allow them to be cut off with ease from Russian supplies.
Other Baltic-rim countries have said the pipeline may damage the environment.
"This initiative, this project, has not been prepared well," Tusk, who is due to be nominated prime minister this week, told a news conference.
"I hope and I hear some signals that in the nearest future the sponsors of the project would be ready to seriously correct it," he added, without elaborating.
Poland and the ex-Soviet Baltic states opposed the pipeline directly linking Russia and Germany but bypassing their territories, saying it would enable Russia to cut crucial gas supplies to them while continuing to deliver to western Europe.
The undersea pipeline has been one of main areas of friction between EU neighbours Poland and Germany in recent years and Poland has insisted on alternative routes for the link.
One such alternative, called Amber, would see the gas transported via the three Baltic states and Poland to Germany. Analysts say Russia is reluctant to agree to such a route, given its frosty relations with the four countries.
(Editing by Anthony Barker)
WARSAW, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Poland's prime minister in-waiting Donald Tusk said on Tuesday that Germany and Russia might soon abandon their plan to run a gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea due to the mounting concerns of other countries.
The pipeline is being built by the Russian-led Nord Stream consortium including Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) and German companies BASF (BASF.DE) and E.ON EONG.DE, with strong support from the Kremlin and Berlin.
The pipeline has been criticised in Poland and the ex-Soviet Baltic states, which fear that it would allow them to be cut off with ease from Russian supplies.
Other Baltic-rim countries have said the pipeline may damage the environment.
"This initiative, this project, has not been prepared well," Tusk, who is due to be nominated prime minister this week, told a news conference.
"I hope and I hear some signals that in the nearest future the sponsors of the project would be ready to seriously correct it," he added, without elaborating.
Poland and the ex-Soviet Baltic states opposed the pipeline directly linking Russia and Germany but bypassing their territories, saying it would enable Russia to cut crucial gas supplies to them while continuing to deliver to western Europe.
The undersea pipeline has been one of main areas of friction between EU neighbours Poland and Germany in recent years and Poland has insisted on alternative routes for the link.
One such alternative, called Amber, would see the gas transported via the three Baltic states and Poland to Germany. Analysts say Russia is reluctant to agree to such a route, given its frosty relations with the four countries.
(Editing by Anthony Barker)
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