RIA Novosti, 10.06.2006

Russia backs Energy Charter principles but has concerns – Kudrin

ST. PETERSBURG, June 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russia backs the principles of the Energy Charter but is concerned that certain important provisions are lacking in the document, the RF finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, said.

“Russia have adhered and will adhere to the principles of the Energy Charter, but we are not satisfied with certain things contained in the agreements to the Energy Charter," Alexei Kudrin said at a news conference after the G8 finance ministers' meeting in St. Petersburg.

First of all, Kudrin said, the Charter did not touch upon nuclear power development.

Being a nuclear energy supplier, Russia would like this issue to be addressed in the document.

Besides, the minister said, the Charter does not mention energy resource transit, which is of particular importance, since the transit principles were changed. Thus, the EU countries are no longer transit countries.

Kudrin also said that Ukraine, which had ratified the Charter, and was a transit country, siphoned off natural gas from transit pipelines without any authorization. “Such gas tapping is a violation of the Energy Charter, but somehow the West doesn’t mention it at all,” he said. “Russia has not violated the charter,” Kudrin emphasized.