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11. 11. 09. - 16:00

Putin threatens gas crisis as Faymann visits Moscow

By David Rogers

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin threatened another gas crisis today (Weds) as Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann visited Moscow.

Putin warned Russia might have to stop deliveries of natural gas if the Ukraine, through which most Russian natural gas is transported to Central and Eastern Europe, failed to pay its bills.

He said Russia was "a hostage" and could not support Ukraine, which had funds at its disposal, Putin said.

Austrian delegation members who had accompanied Faymann on his visit to Moscow had stressed the importance of delivery of Russian gas to Europe during his meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev yesterday. They said differences between Ukraine and Russia should not result in a gas being cut off to other countries.

During their meeting Faymann told Medvedev the Nabucco gas pipeline - which Austrian oil and gas producer OMV is involved in - was not a "competitor" to Russian Northstream and Southstream gas pipeline projects.

The warning from Putin comes amid growing international fears of another gas supply crisis this winter.

Putin recently told Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt there could be another halt to delivery of Russian natural gas to Europe because of finance problems in Ukraine.

Russia halted transmission of natural-gas in early 2006 and again in early 2009 because of disputes with Ukraine over the cost and volume of Russian gas.

But People’s Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner claimed last week that the country was prepared for any gas supply cuts and that gas-storage facilities in Austria were full.

Walter Boltz, the chief of Austrian energy regulator E-Control, said Austrian gas-storage facilities contained 4.4 billion cubic metres - enough to satisfy demand for six months.

In a survey last July, 75 per cent of Austrians admitted they feared a future gas crisis.

Meanwhile, Austria is trying to increase the number of its suppliers of natural-gas, partly through the Nabucco natural-gas pipeline that is expected to be finished by 2014.

Austrian Times

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