EU rejects Turkey's Nabucco blackmail and fund demands, starts Solar Energy and eyes Arctic Sea+

Marking a strategic U-turn on Energy policy amidst hot EU Parliament debates, EU rejected Turkey's blackmail attempts abusing of controversial "Nabucco" pipeline project, on which it started to raise critical Questions and refused more funds. Instead, MEPs strongly supported Solar Energy New Technology projects as "Desertec", recently launched after the creation of the "Union for the Mediterranean", defended EU - Russia "North" and "South Stream" pipeline projects, but also opened an eye on Arctic Sea's Oil/Gas potential.

     This was made clear in a series of moves, both by EU Council and EU Commission, followed by EU Parliament's debates and Votes in Strasbourg, Thursday afternoon. I.e. despite Barroso's controversial re-election step on Wednesday, who is known to push Turkey's Nabbuco plan, backed by the main supporters of the Portuguese politician : the "New Labour" British Government, notoriously fading out before the forthcoming 2010 UK elections.

 - "We (EU Commission) never do Side Deals when we are negotiating on Enegy : We never compromise neither ON E.U. Enlargement, nor on Human Rights !", stressed EU Commissioner on Energy, Anders Piebalgs, in reply to critical MEPs observations on Turkey's well known recent attempts to exploit "Nabuco" pipeline in order to press EU on Cyprus and Ankara's controversial EU bid.

He was later backed by an EU Parliament's Resolution which "stresses" that "Energy dialogues should in no way take place at the expense of ...Human Rights".    

On the contrary, Swedish EU Council Presidency, represented by Minister for EU affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, replying to Greek MEP Nikos Chountas' questions, slamed Turkey's threat to block Nabucco  if the EU doesn't open negotiations with Ankara on the Energy chapter, because of Cyprus' reaction to Ankara's threats and provocative moves contesting Greece and Cyprus' sovereign right to peacefully exploit their own Exclusive Economic Zone for Oil/Gas resources :

    -  "Turkey has a responsibility, (as all other Countries wishing closer relations to the EU), to keep Peaceful relations with its neighbouring countries, and this is particularly important also among accession criteria. We (EU) have called upon Turkey to avoid any negative action", on Energy claims against its neighbours, "and emphasized that it's important to normalize relations with all EU Member States, including Cyprus, and to respect their Sovereign Rights", as well as for "Turkey to keep up to all its commitments",  fex. to apply the EU "protocol" which lifts discriminatory obstacles to free movement of Ships and Airplanes from Cyprus, the Swedish EU chairwoman-in-office stressed. Warning that "the EU is aware" of the facts denounced by the MEP, "and will take them into account when it will review the stage of its relations vis a vis Turkey", before the end of 2009.

    In particular, EU MAFs will meeti on November 2009, while EU closely follows all relevant  developments. As regards the opening, or not, of the "Energy chapter" in EU - Turkey negotiations", even if "it's too early" to say now, it's clear that "each step needs Unanimity" inside EU Council, (i.e. also Cyprus Government's approval), Malmstrom warned Ankara.
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    Voting a key-Resolution on "External aspects of Energy Security", EU Parliament significantly refused more EU Funds for the controversial, too long and too expensive Turkish "Nabucco" pipeline, rejecting an Amendment which vainly asked for it "to be adequately funded".

    On the contrary, the EU text asks "more investment in Renewable and low-carbon energy", and doesn't cite Nabucco but only after "Energy Savings",  "gas Storage",  a "super-Grid" for Electricity and Gas", and other measures.

    Moreover, EU Resolution "underlines" the need to "urgently .. secure initial agreements with prospective Suppliers to feed the pipelines", (after the "step" made a few months ago on "Nabucco" by "the signature of an Agreement on its legal framework", including by the out-going Bulgarian Socialo-Turkish former Government), But also the more "general.. importance of .. linking the EU to new sources of gas from the Middle East and the Caspian, independently of any one company or pipeline".

    Heading towards new directions, EU Parliament also "emphasises the strategic importance of the Arctic region .. in terms of both energy resources, environment, biodiversity and transport issues, and the opening-up of the North-East Passage".
    
    But the most Innovative move is EU Resolution's "call" "to cooperate with EU countries of the Mediterranean ..and north Africa, in view of their significant energy-resource potential", "encouraging, in particular, the use of Solar and Wind energy.', EU Parfliament "welcomes the recent progress made with the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative to develop the vast potential for Solar energy in the Middle East and north Africa", calling, therefore, .. to .. build a lasting partnership with the Mediterranean countries".

    The relevant agreement signed on July 2009 by "12 EU Companies"  "needs New Technology development", as the "Concentrated Solar Energy", which is launched in 2009 and "could be used" for that purpose, observed EU Commissioner Piebalgs, mentioning an innovative project initially proposed by Cyprus' President Christofias at the July 2008 Paris' Summit of Heads of State anjd Government for the creation of the "Union for the Mediterranean".

    But both Piebalgs and MEPs acknowledged also the "much bigger importance" of EU-Russia "North and South Stream" pipelines projects, which are obviously "more important from Nabucco".

    Thus, EU Parliament rejected an attempt to attach restrictions under environment protection pretexts to the EU-Russia projects, to which Germany, Italy and France are due to participate
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    EU Commissioner Piebalgs, observed that Nabucco faces several "difficulties", "particularly" on how to "pay the (too long) pipeline's cost", and still needs to find sufficient natural resources, f.ex. at Turkmenistan (which negociates also with Russia and Ukraine), and even more with Iraq (which recently decided to reopen Oil - Gas pipelines with Syria, via a shorter and cheaper route towards the Mediterranean Sea).

    - In these conditions, "we might take final investment decisions (only) next year (2010), with a perspective to start after 2014", he carefully added, while a Nabucco expert reportedly already spoke about postponing its completion for 2 more years  : at 2016. - "I can't say at this stage", Piebalgs warned.
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    During EU Parliament's debate, many MEPs, from various Political and Geographic horizons, were critical vis a is Turkey's controversial "Nabucco" project :

    - "Many Questions need replies" on the "Nabucco and South Stream projects, that we support both", said on behalf of the largest Group of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, its vice-President, Cyprus' MEP Yanis Kasulides : "F.ex. : - Do we all know what was really discussed recently (on August 2009) with Russian PM Putin in Turkey ?", he asked, mainly in direction of those who thought that Nabucco might reduce EU's dependency on Russian energy. - "Will it be able to offer enough Gas ? Can it ensure Stability of supplies ?, Kasulides asked on Nabucco. In comparison, "do you know that Russia aims to double the amount of gas it will offer through South Stream ?".

    - As for "New Technologies" in Energy, "it's regrettable that, while a small island as Cyprus invests 500 Millions € ("half a Billion") in LNG (Natural Liquefied Gas), the EU contributes only for 10 (ten) millions €, he criticized, (despite EU Parliament's 2009 Resolution calling to develop Terminals, Ships and Storage throughout the EU for NLG).

    - "There are many Questions on Nabucco, such as raised by Mr. Kasulides, which need answers", stressed on behalf of the "Greens" the vice-President of their Group, German MEP Reinhard Butikofer. Moreover, "we (EU) should not forget Human Rights", he added.

     - "If you have (former German Foreign Minister from the "Greens") Joshka Fischer sign a 6 figures contract on Turkey's Nabucco, no wonder that there will be a lot of Questions raised", pointed out Austrian MEP Martin Ehrenhauser.

    - "I formally warn the Commission against an attempt to abuse of Nabucco project as a Troyan horse in order to push Turkey inside the EU by forcing the door", denounced French MEP of the Left, Jacky Henin. On the contrary, "it's the secular principles, Womens' Rights, the rights of the Kurdish People, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which should remain the criteria for an eventual accession of Turkey", he stressed.     

    Romanian MEP Adina-Ioana Valean preferred to "focus on LNG".  - "We'd better re-think about Nabucco: Even Countries, who were interested at North stream , also signed the South Stream, she added.  

    Hungarian MEP Zoltan Balczo observed that "Nabucco's biggest problem is supply"  : "As Russian PM Putin said : - "It is useless to have pipelines if you can't fill them up". In addition, "It's true that Ukraine raises problems, but Turkey raises even more !", he warned. And "many among us do not believe at all that Turkey should be integrated in Europe"

    - "Nabucco has been unfortunately delayed", noted Romanian ChristianDemocvrat MEP Jean Marinescu.

    - On Turkey and Nabucco the big "question is what it will really cost ? It can be dangerous for the EU", warned Dutch MEP Bastian Belder, of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group.

    - "There is a lack of clarity" on Nabucco, observed the vice-President of EU Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Greek Socialist MEP Mrs Anni Podemata.

    - Nabucco has been "too slow", criticized British Conservative MEP Charles Tannock.

    At any case, "Nabucco alone will not be enough. EU Countries will need also the North and South Stream", said Conservative MEP Roben Kowal.

    Recent news evoked a "Delay" of r "from 2014 to 2016", an unknown duration closure of part of Shah-deniz's gas field in Azerbaidjan, and not only rln but also Ukraine's efforts to get Turkmenistan's a.o. gas, etc.

    - "If we continue like this with Nabucco, then we'd better send our Resolutions to EU Citizens : They can burn them to stay warm !", joked "Green"  MEP Indrek Tarand.

    - At the opposite side of Nabucco, by "Interconnexions to Algeria, Spain can become an Oil-Gaz transit country, if it connects to other EU Member Countries (as France, etc) at the other side of Pyrenee mountains", said Spanish MEP Teresa Riera Madurell of the Governing Socialist party.

    - "We'd better build NLG Terminals", concluded the experienced vice-President of EU Parliament, Spanish ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Alejo Vidal-Quadras.

    The move was extended by German mainstream MEP Elmar Brok to "Gas Storage" facilities, (as those in Central Europe, close to the nearby Danube and Rhine interection).

    - "It wil be difficult to "feed" Nabucco", observed other MEPs. There are also various other possibilities towards a "Trans-Caspian and a Trans-Saharian route", but it's better to invest in New Technologies of Renewables Energy Sources", they concluded.

    - "Deserts got more Energy from the Sun, than much oil/gaz consumed each year", stressed experienced Liberal British MEP Graham Watson.

    He agreed with other MEPs who stressed that "the Solar Energy Plan, based on the Union for the Mediterranean is important for the development of Renewable Energy sources, and for the cooperation with Northern Afrika".         

     - "Nuclear Energy's capacities must not be overlooked, since it's one of the Renewable, Climat-friendly sources, added earlier Liberal Dutch MEP Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, speaking on behalf of the ALDE Group.                     

  - In fact, "we (EU) need not only 1 investment, but many investments : Each one reinforces the Security of Supply", concluded EU Commissioner Piebalgs.

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