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08 May 2009
GPPi Fellow interviewed by WDR on European natural gas supplies
Andreas Goldthau, Assistant Professor with the Department of Public Policy at Central European University, Budapest and GPPi Fellow, was interviewed by Westdeutschen Rundfunks (WDR) for the radio program "Politikum" on the topic of European natural gas supplies.
The discussion centered around Europe's dependency on Russian gas, the need to open up alternative sources of natural gas in the Caspian region, and the politicization of energy in European-Russian relations. Goldthau highlighted the economic rationales behind the recent gas cutoffs in Ukraine which - though politics are always at play - should not be overlooked. He also argued that it is questionable that projects like Nabucco, a gas pipeline from the Caspian region which would traverse Turkey, will considerably enhance the European position. Instead, he called for a Pan-Eurasian contractual framework in order to strengthen the planning security of producers, consumers and transit countries.
The interview can be downloaded here (in German).
For more information, please contact Andreas Goldthau.