MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has met opposition in Brussels and Washington amid fears that increased reliance on Russia for gas supplies could threaten Europe’s energy security.
"The Austrian position, as been said very often, is that we see it as an economic project, and this we would be happy to be involved [in]. One of our companies is one of those partners that are interested in realizing the project," Brix told RIA Novosti.
The diplomat admitted that "vivid discussions" were underway at the EU headquarters in Brussels about how the European Commission sees the controversy around the pipeline. Earlier this month, the US State Department’s special envoy and coordinator for international energy affairs, Amos Hochstein, suggested that Europe pause the talks to evaluate the project’s consequences.
The Nord Stream-2 project aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas a year to the European Union bypassing Ukraine and Poland. In September, Russian energy giant Gazprom and its European partner companies – E.On, Shell, OMV, BASF and Engie – signed a shareholders agreement on the project last year.
