COPENHAGEN — The EU said Wednesday that leaks from two
Russia-Germany undersea gas pipelines appeared to be “a deliberate act”, as
Moscow said it would call for a
UN Security Council meeting over the incident.
اضافة اعلان
The three outflows from the Nord Stream 1 and 2
pipelines have sent natural gas prices soaring, exacerbating an energy crunch
in Europe as it stands on the threshold to winter and fanning geopolitical
tensions.
Methane gas from the leaks is bubbling to the
surface of the
Baltic Sea close to Denmark and Sweden in discharges expected to
last for a week, until depletion of the gas in the pipelines.
Europe has alleged the leaks are from sabotage, and
fossil fuel-rich Norway boosted security at its installations in response.
They “are not a coincidence”, EU foreign policy
chief Josep Borrell said in a statement. “All available information indicates
those leaks are the result of a deliberate act.”
He warned: “Any deliberate disruption of European
energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and
united response.”
Suspicion has focused on Russia, which has cut gas
supplies to Europe in retaliation for severe Western sanctions over the war in
Ukraine.
But the Kremlin hit back, saying it was “stupid and
absurd” to accuse Russia of causing the leaks and calling instead for President
Joe Biden to answer whether the US was behind them.
The Kremlin said it would ask for the UN Security
Council to convene “in connection with provocations” over the pipeline.
EU chiefs
Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel
have both also blamed the Nord Stream leaks on sabotage, as have leaders of
several European countries.
Michel tweeted that they “appear to be an attempt to
further destabilize energy supply to EU”.
He added: “Those responsible will be held fully
accountable and made to pay.”
The EU is currently mulling further sanctions on
Russia for annexation votes imposed on four regions in Ukraine its forces
occupy.
Neither of the Nord Stream pipelines are currently
operational, but they were full of gas when they were hit with what Swedish
seismologists said were “massive releases of energy”.
One of the seismologists told AFP “there isn’t much
else than a blast that could cause it”.
Danish Defense Minister Morten Bodskov told reporters
in Brussels that “it can easily take one or two weeks for the area to calm down
enough” for an inspection to verify the cause.
Two Danish military vessels have been sent to the
area.
Non-EU member
Norway — which has now overtaken Russia as the biggest supplier of gas to
Europe — said it will beef up security around its oil and gas facilities.
“The government has decided to put measures in place
to increase security at infrastructure sites, land terminals and platforms on
the Norwegian continental shelf,” Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland said.
The Norwegian Petroleum
Safety Authority earlier
this week called for “increased vigilance from all operators and shipping
companies on the continental shelf”.
Built in parallel to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline,
Nord Stream 2 was intended to double the capacity for Russian gas imports to
Germany.
But Berlin blocked newly completed Nord Stream 2 in
the days before the war.
Germany, which has been highly dependent on imports
of fossil fuels from Russia to meet its energy needs, has since come under
acute stress as Moscow’s supplies dwindle.
Sweden and Poland agree sabotage is the most likely cause of
the Nord Stream leaks, with Warsaw suggesting Russia was probably the culprit,
to escalate the war in Ukraine.
Read more Region and World
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
