Estonia Won't Allow Survey for Pipeline

AP ^ | September 20. 2007 | Jari Tanner

[vahet pole]

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Estonia decided Thursday it will not allow a German-Russian consortium to conduct a survey of its exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea for a planned underwater gas pipeline.

The survey was necessary for a possible rerouting of the 750-mile pipeline that will deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

"Each coastal country has full sovereignty and a right to make decision involving its own waters," Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said in a news conference. "Furthermore, we think the Baltic Sea is not a proper place for such a pipeline."

Estonia's refusal won't stop the $7 billion project — dubbed Nord Stream — from proceeding toward its 2010 launch. The pipeline's route, approved last year by the consortium, does not cross into Estonia's territorial waters.

"Our intention with this application was to meet Finland's request and to find ways to minimize environmental impact," Jens Muller, a spokesman for Nord Stream AG in Switzerland, said.

Finnish experts believe the seabed in Estonia's economic zone could be flatter and thus more environmentally sound for the route, Muller explained. The possible rerouting would have meant going into Estonia's economic zone by only several hundred yards, he said.

Several coastal nations have expressed concern over the pipeline, saying it could damage the Baltic Sea's delicate ecosystem.

The pipeline project has been highly unpopular in Estonia with several recent surveys showing that more than 90 percent of respondents opposed giving permission to Nord Stream for the seabed study.

The issue created tension between Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's Reform Party and ex-premier Mart Laar's IRL union, the current coalition government partners.

Relations between Estonia and Russia have sunk to a low this year after the Baltic state's decision to remove a Soviet-era war memorial that holds deep meaning for ethnic Russians from downtown Tallinn.

Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom owns 51 percent of Swiss-based Nord Stream, while German energy companies E.ON Ruhrgas AG and Wintershall AG each hold 24.5 percent in the consortium.

According to Nord Stream's plans, after completion of project's first phase in 2010, the pipeline will deliver 27 billion cubic meters of gas to Germany. Two years later, a parallel pipeline will double capacity to 55 billion cubic meters.

[1rudeboy]

for your list

[xJones]

If anyone hasn't said it yet, welcome to Free Republic!

As an Estonian, what is your understanding on this? Are you for or against, and why? We love our foreign Freepers who can explain the situation as seen through the eyes of one who lives there.

[Grzegorz 246]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[Joe Boucher]

It seems that relations between russia and All its neighbors is in the crapper the last few years.
Ever since puttie decided to use his countrys oil as a weapon against everyone.

[oblomov]

Good for Estonia! Estonia is a beacon of liberty for Europe!

Standing up for sovereignty is just part of being a self-governing people.

[lizol]

It seems that relations between russia and All its neighbors is in the crapper the last few years.

Don't you know, that it's not Russia's fault? It's all because of all the Russia's neighbors :-)))

[vertolet]

So Nord Stream will go through Finland’s waters as Russia and Germany planned from the beginning.

[Joe Boucher]

Now you are sounding like a kgb guy.

[lizol]

Well, I thought my sarcasm was obvious.

[Joe Boucher]

It ws quite obvious even for a dolt like me.
I feel very sorry for russias neighbors because just by being in close proximity to russia you generally are going to have heart ache and a high death rate.

[RusIvan]

No problem North Stream will go through the finish zone. But Gazprom will cut the delivery to Estonia whatsoever.

[RusIvan]

Don’t you know, that it’s not Russia’s fault? It’s all because of all the Russia’s neighbors :-)))==

True:))

[RusIvan]

Now you are sounding like a kgb guy.==

If you do not like truth you turn to call names. It is childish:).

[RusIvan]

Ever since puttie decided to use his countrys oil as a weapon against everyone.==

Putties just stopped the discounts which those “everyone” liked to receive. Let them pay the right price and everything will be OK.
We wnat all thier money in our pockets:). It is teh new russian expansion:).

[Joe Boucher]

Hey Ivan, glad to see you came out from under your rock, haven’t heard your stupidity lately.

Let’s see,russia uses satellite states like slaves, steel their natural resources, kill their residents to keep them in line pollut them like a waste dump then after they throw off the yoke, moma russia overcharges them for oil.
How to make friends and influence others.
Russia blows sir and you are little more then an apologist.

[RusIvan]

Hey Ivan, glad to see you came out from under your rock, haven’t heard your stupidity lately.==

Personal attack?:)

Let’s see,russia uses satellite states like slaves, steel their natural resources, kill their residents to keep them in line pollut them like a waste dump then after they throw off the yoke, moma russia overcharges them for oil.==

May it was Soviet Union but still I do not understand 2 things:
1. What the natural resources of say Poland Soviet Union “stole”? AFAIK Poland has no natural resources except maybe the low-callory coal.
2. How Russia may overcharge one for oil? Isn’t there the free market? I thought if teh one doesn’t like the russian prices may go and find someone who sell lesser.

Curtainly Russia won’t sell in the discount to any country especially those who continue to give dirties to her.

[Joe Boucher]

Can’t see that Germany or Poland or Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania had much resources but russia still used their ports and labour.
Not a personnel attack, just a friendly greeting to you pal.
Oh yeah and the pollution is and was real.
Russia plays the bully and eventually its neighbors will find alternative energies and then tell russia to piss up a rope.

Now this is personnel, where are you from and where are you currently?
Also where did you go to school?
You do pretty good with your english even if your logic and thinking is a little skewed.

[lizol]

1. What the natural resources of say Poland Soviet Union “stole”? AFAIK Poland has no natural resources except maybe the low-callory coal.

Sure. You must be right. As always when relating Poland. (sarcasm)

Here you can see a map of south-eastern Poland. The red line shows so called LHS (Linia Hutniczo-Szerokotorowa), which in English means - more or less - Ironworks Wide-track Railway.

This is the only wide-track (Russian size) railway located west of Bug river. It goes from the main Polish industrial region to the Ukrainian border (at that time Soviet).

My guess is, that the Soviets build it only to bring presents for Polish kids (sarcasm)

[lizol]

Ah, one more thing

Sztolnie Kowary
Kowary Adit
Location: at Kowary (formerly Schmiedeberg). Between Jelenia Góra (formerly Hirschberg) and Karpacz - south-western Poland.

The uranium mine at Kowary was important for the producion of the first Russian atomic bombs. In the years between 1945 and 1947 this was the most important uranium mine of the Soviet Union. Obviously the mining activities were top secret at that time. More than 20 tunnels were dug during the times of the Polish-Soviet R1 Plant.

Although the urianium mining was top secret for many decades, the mine became a little more public after a radon therapy tunnel was opened. Named Sztolnie Kowary (Kowarian Tunnel) it was the core of the Cieplice Health Resort. It was one of only three radon therapy centres in Europe at this time.
http://www.showcaves.com/english/pl/mines/Kowary.html