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Электронное приложение к журналу «
Международная жизнь
»
Author : P. Zavalny
President of the Russian Gas Society (RGS), Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on
Energy
The "Russia-EU Energy Dialogue: Gas Aspect"
conference is a joint event held for many years
by the Russian Gas Society and the European gas
industry association Eurogas with the participa-
tion of the European Commission's Directorate-
General for Energy.
The European Commission confirmed EU in-
terest in the conference and its importance for
the development of relations between Russia and
Europe in the field of energy.
But the final stages of the run-up to the event
were already affected by the situation in Ukraine, which had significantly strained Russia-EU re-
lations. At the end of April, we were told that neither EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oet-
tinger nor the current head of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Energy,
Dominique Ristori, would take part in the conference precisely for political reasons.
I find it difficult to understand this position. Clearly, today it is necessary to solve arising problems
taking into account Europe's heavy dependence on imported energy resources, and not only on
Russian gas and oil. Europe imports coal from America, Russia and other countries. At present,
it cannot be self-sufficient in any kind of energy resources. Among the purposes of the confer-
ence was to discuss these problems.
Other questions on the agenda included the prospects of our cooperation, European demand
for gas, renewable energy sources, and various scenarios for the development of the gas market.
In my opinion, the conference was most constructive despite the absence of leading politicians
and heads of energy companies.
During the current crisis, Europe has reviewed the problem of providing its economy with en-
ergy and realized that it cannot do without Russia. Whatever the scenario, Europe needs Russian
gas.
I know the situation in the American market very well and I think that American LNG cannot
compete with Russia.
The importance of the Chinese contract for the development of our country cannot be overes-
timated. It means tens of thousands of jobs, better capacity utilization in our construction sector
and other industries, and a new impetus to the development of territories.
Aiming at Dialogue and Strategic Cooperation