|
THE RUSSIAN-GERMAN RELATIONS
PAVEL OSINTSEV,
Research fellow at the Centre of Euro-Atlantic Security, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University), Assistant of Vice-President on engineering, LLC Peter Gas, Gazprom
Now improvement of the Russian-German relations is evident, since there appear new issues on which the both states can work out mutually beneficial conditions of the cooperation. It concerns the energy cooperation as well as the world policy aspects.
The visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Russia plays an important role in forming the political partnership. The participants of the negotiations have specified the Russian-German schedule of political contacts for 2006, besides, it is also worth mentioning that this meeting is of preliminary character, as it is taking place before the G-8 July Summit in St. Petersburg. Recently some of the German mass media have written that the new Germany’s government downgrades the Russian-German relations, but in fact this information doesn’t seem to have grounds.
Earlier the Russian-German relations were called “friendly”, but now, after the new government has come to power the relations are referred to as “strategic partnership”.
It is right, since Russia and Germany should above all enter into partner relations, according to the requirements dictated by the current situation in the world and business environment.
In 2005 Gazprom and German companies “BASF” and “E.ON” started constructing the North-European Gas Pipeline (NEGP). Now it is to be an important factor of the political and economic relations between Russia and Germany. The gas pipeline budget exceeds 4 billion euro.
As a matter of fact, this project has become a decisive step in building partnership between Russia and Germany; particularly, joint-stock company of Russia and Germany “North European Gas Pipeline Company” has been founded, Gazprom’s share in the company makes up 56%, and that of BASF and E.ON is 22% each.
On Gazprom’s instructions the LLC Peter Gas will perform engineering and environmental investigations in the land areas and design the marine areas of the gas pipeline.
Significance of the North-European Gas Pipeline in building beneficial partnership is beyond any doubt, since quite new and relatively cheap routes of Russia’s gas exports to Europe are being created. It is planned to start supplying natural gas to the pipeline in 2007 and to reach the design throughput in 2009.
There can be no doubt that the Russian gas may become a weighty argument in the political dialogue between Russia and Europe and it is confirmed by the price policy Gazprom follows in case of Ukraine. All the factors show once more that Russia is a reliable partner, but it is necessary to cooperate with it on mutually beneficial conditions.
At the Russian Cabinet’s meeting, which was held as early as 2003, the “Russia’s energy strategy for the period of up to 2020” was approved. Its major objective is to use energy resources as effectively as possible for the economy growth and increase in life standards of the country’s population. The North-European Gas Pipeline’s construction is one of the points mentioned in this document.
It is essential to maintain friendly partner relations with Germany as well as the entire EU for successful cooperation, as it is impossible to bring Russian gas to the European market without working out and making joint political decisions and upholding efficient strategic partnership.
April 27, 2006
|
