Headed by Edgars Rinkēvičs, the Latvian foreign Ministry issued a circular with guidelines on how Ministers and other officials of the state “politically correct” to justify the government’s decision not to support “any activities in the territory of Latvia related to the project Nord Stream-2”.
Neatkarīgā already reported that participants in the implementation of Nord Stream-2 suggested ventspilsskomu port to connect to this project. The Freeport of Ventspils could have some time stored on its territory pipe for the pipeline, which would earn around 25 million euros.
Due to the fact that the government’s decision was taken at a closed meeting, as yet unknown true reason why it was decided that Latvia should not make those 25 million and you need to let them earn in other countries. But we now know what propaganda nonsense foreign Ministry tried to justify this decision.
From the circular it follows that if the pipes of the States parties to NATO and the EU — Germany, UK, Austria, France and the Netherlands — will be stored on the territory of the Ventspils free port, it would undermine the unity of the EU and NATO will pose a threat to the security of Latvia, the Russian spies will be able to enter the territory of Latvia, and also will be violated main provisions of the EU for the protection of the environment.
The interests of the region
On 18 April, the head of the Directorate of the foreign Ministry for communications Raimonds Jansons sent to state officials “information about the government’s decision on Nord Stream-2 and abstract in case you need further clarification of this decision.”
Under “Additional points for further communication,” said: “the support of the state of implementation of the Nord Stream project-2 would be in clear contradiction to the basic provisions of foreign policy aimed at cooperation with our neighbours in the EU and NATO in the region, which together are planned and will be implemented large-scale investment projects for infrastructure development”.
Dominated by Europe, not Russia
Meanwhile, on the website of the Nord Stream-2, you can verify that this is a private project energy megacompany countries-members of NATO and the EU. Dominate this project is not a Russian state company Gazprom, and, for example: based in Dusseldorf, working in 40 countries of the German energy company Uniper; based in the Hague, working in more than 70 countries of the British company Shell; based in Kassel, working in more than 50 countries in the conglomerate with the German group BASF, the limited liability company Winterstall; based in Paris, operating in more than 70 countries by the French company of the Engie and the Vienna-based Austrian company OMW pipeline.
However, from the circular of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Latvia: if the tubes of these companies will reside in the Freeport of Ventspils, and if operating in the Freeport of Ventspils enterprises will benefit from it, will be undermined “the confidence among the allies in NATO and the EU to the Latvian state in its foreign policy efforts.”
On the contrary, the sites participating in the Nord Stream project-2 companies of Germany, France, England, Holland and Austria it is emphasized that Nord Stream-2 “the Russian project of strategic importance”, which declared the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Latvia, and the project, in the interests of a member country of NATO and the EU Germany.
But the Latvian foreign Ministry in its circular specifies that the activities of private investors of the member countries of NATO and the EU in the Freeport of Ventspils “will greatly complicate the rapid and timely process of national decision-making” and will hinder the development of defence infrastructure.
The document of the Ministry of foreign Affairs also States that “in the case of support for the Nord Stream project-2, the state would act contrary to the basic provisions to promote the use of renewable energy in the framework of the environmental policy of the European Union”.
The rich do not understand us
Neatkarīgā asked the head of the Directorate of the foreign Ministry for communications Jansons to clarify: who has prepared the guidelines; justification for why decisions on Nord Stream-2 is engaged in the foreign Ministry and not the industry of the Ministry of communications or Economics; holds whether the companies of safety of the study in connection with the Nord Stream-2, on its own initiative or on the instructions of the foreign Ministry; how to understand what is the main thesis that the implementation of the Nord Stream-2 would be in contradiction with the basic provisions of foreign policy aimed at cooperation with the EU and NATO, on the condition that the project is needed in Germany. Besides, aren’t asked, what the principles of EU energy policy is contrary to the Nord Stream-2, and provided penalties for those officials who decide to ignore the main points and expressing support for the Nord Stream-2.
Jansons said that “the basis of the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers the Ministry of foreign Affairs has prepared a position of Latvia on this issue, as is the usual practice. The foreign Ministry has not commented on the work of the security institutions”.
The main thing that stresses high-ranking official of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of Latvia: “the natural gas Markets of Germany, the Benelux States and Western Europe in General is much more developed than the markets of Eastern Europe, where the “Gazprom” is still faced with strong competition from other suppliers. As a result, these countries associated with the supply of Russian natural gas a threat to the energy security felt to a much lesser extent than the countries of Central Europe, the Baltics, Southeast Europe and Ukraine. Along with this individual Western European countries consider Nord Stream-2 as a commercial project, paying less attention to the security aspects and geopolitics, as well as inconsistent with the aims of the Energy Union”.
