The chief executive of Russian state-owned OAO Gazprom pushed a
plan Tuesday to sell its natural gas to the European Union via
Greece, but made no public offers of immediate sweeteners during a
visit to cash-strapped Athens.
OAO Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said in a statement that the
company could guarantee annual shipments of 47 billion cubic meters
of gas via Greece. He said Greece could raise commercial loans
against the guaranteed deliveries.
Greece, which is in difficult talks with European leaders over
much-needed financing, is hoping for an economic boost from Russia,
such as cheaper natural gas supplies or an exemption from Moscow's
ban on European food imports. But there have been no major
agreements despite a two-day trip by Greek Prime Minister Alexis
Tsipras to Moscow earlier this month, where he met Russian
President Vladimir Putin and criticized the EU's sanctions policy
against Russia over the Ukrainian conflict.
Greece would benefit from the pipeline through construction jobs
and collection of transit fees once the pipeline is operating.
In Athens Tuesday, Mr. Miller said a consortium of Russian and
European companies could build the Greek pipeline, an extension to
the planned Turkish Stream project that will take Russian gas under
the Black Sea. Russia announced Turkish Stream late last year after
its plans to build a pipeline called South Stream, to enter the EU
via Bulgaria, was thwarted by European regulators. Analysts
question the need for the project, mainly aimed at circumventing
Ukraine, the main transit route to Europe for Russian gas.
During his brief visit in Athens, Mr. Miller had separate
meetings with Mr. Tsipras and Energy Minister Panagiotis
Lafazanis.
Mr. Lafazanis was confident later about a possible pipeline,
which he said would benefit both Greece and Europe.
"We hope that we will reach an agreement soon," Mr. Lafazanis
said.
Mr. Miller said the consortium would have no problem attracting
2 billion euros in financing for the project, and that some
companies had already shown interest. He added that the project
would be carried out "strictly according to European
legislation."
Mr. Lafazanis said that there is no reason why the European
Union would object to this project, as it will be compatible with
EU regulations and since it has already given the green light for
the Trans Adriatic Pipeline.
"Greece has to follow a new, independent and multidimensional
economic policy," the energy minister said.
Mr. Miller of Gazprom made no mention of Greece's request for
cheaper gas supplies.
Nektaria Stamouli in Athens contributed to this article
Write to James Marson at james.marson@wsj.com
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