MOSCOW, May 15 (RIA Novosti) – All energy partners are important for Russia and Moscow has no plans to turn away from anyone, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.
“I would like to particularly emphasize that for Russia all of its partners are important, both Asian and European. We won’t refuse anyone, we’re not planning on saying ‘no’ to anyone,” Medvedev said during the International Energy Forum's 14th ministerial meeting.
Russia’s energy supplies account for around 20 percent of the global energy market, Medvedev said.
Speaking on cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, the Russian prime minister stressed that the region’s current and future market is important, especially in terms of enabling further development in Siberia and Russia’s Far East.
Gazprom advisor Marcel Kramer said Wednesday supplying gas to China was a logical move for Russia, given Chinese demand and the country's willingness to pay a fair price.
The move is a signal for the EU, amid considerable uncertainty about whether US natural gas could be realistically supplied to Europe, he said, adding that the recent shift to Asian markets such as China and India does not mean that Gazprom is suspending ties with EU partners.
Preparations are underway for the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Shanghai next week to cement economic ties with China, including on energy. During the visit, the Russian and Chinese leaders are expected to discuss long-term gas supplies and boosting trade in oil.
The current standoff between Russia and the EU over tensions in Ukraine is likely to provide an impetus for Moscow’s long-awaited deal on exporting up to 60 billion cubic meters of gas per year via the eastern route to China, the largest market for Russian gas in the Asia-Pacific region.
