ANALYSIS: Polish politicians express concern over pipeline project bypassing Ukraine (07/30/00)

ANALYSIS

Polish politicians express concern over pipeline project bypassing Ukraine

by Jan Maksymiuk
RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report

PRAGUE - During Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski's talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, at the Kremlin on July 10, the Russian side proposed constructing a gas pipeline from Russia to Slovakia via Poland and bypassing Ukraine, the PAP news service reported.

"We talked about that both one-on-one as well as at a plenary meeting. Talks are in progress on the matter; it is more an economic and less a political question," Mr. Kwasniewski said at a press conference.

Former Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek said the Polish government will not agree to such a project. "I can assure you that there has been no such agreement from the side of the Polish government and, what's more, I am convinced there will be no such agreement, for it's not in Poland's interests. And I think the Russian side is also aware of that," Mr. Geremek told Warsaw-based Radio Plus.

Presidential adviser Stanislaw Ciosek, former longtime Polish ambassador to Moscow, told PAP that during the talks at the Kremlin, President Kwasniewski did not make any commitments on the issue of building a gas pipeline from Russia to Western Europe. He emphasized that "we will not disturb our relations and partnership with Ukraine."

Andrzej Majkowski, another Mr. Kwasniewski aide, told the agency that the negotiations on the construction of the gas pipeline will be conducted by Vice Prime Minister and Economics Minister Janusz Steinhoff. Mr. Majkowski added that economic considerations are being given more weight in the project than political ones.

On July 12, Mr. Kwasniewski called Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma and assured him that "we will not be supporting anything that would be aimed against Ukraine and that would have an overtly anti-Ukrainian character," according to PAP. Ukrainian politicians, including Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, had earlier expressed unease at the possibility that a pipeline might be built bypassing Ukrainian territory.

According to the Polish president, the question of how Poland and Ukraine are to participate in the transit of energy supplies remains open. "This is in their interest and in ours, and this is a different discussion: not about whether we are for or against Ukraine, but about what to do for Poland and Ukraine to benefit from this," PAP quoted Mr. Kwasniewski as saying. According to Mr. Kwasniewski, the worst thing that could happen would be the exclusion of Poland and Ukraine from the new transit arrangements.

On July 14, Mr. Kwasniewski told Polish Radio that there is no Russian proposal in writing for the construction of a gas pipeline through Poland and avoiding Ukraine. He added: "What we should do first of all is organize a group of experts, professional people and see what Russian offers involve - carry out the economic, ecological and political analyses. ... And there is one thing that I can say directly to you: that we will certainly be thinking in terms of the Polish interest, since that is our obligation and honor, to act in this way. Second, we will of course be striving for the Ukrainian interest to be protected, too. And third, we want to have good contacts with Russia. And fourth, we have nothing at all against making a profit out of all this."

On July 15, Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek assured his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yuschenko, at a meeting in Zamosc in eastern Poland that Poland will keep Ukraine's interests in mind regarding decisions about gas transit from Russia. "We want Ukraine to be included in a safe European system of gas supply that provides deliveries from different directions," Mr. Buzek added.

Following his talks with Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Serhii Yermilov in Warsaw on July 21, Economics Minister Steinhoff assured the Ukrainian visitor that Poland will not agree to Russia's request to build a gas pipeline on Polish territory that would allow Moscow to bypass its main transit route to the West, which now runs through Ukraine.

Mr. Steinhoff said, however, that Poland would like to finalize the 1993 agreement with Russia, which provides for building two segments of the Yamal pipeline on its territory, which would have a total capacity of 64 million cubic meters. The first segment, which was opened last year with half of that capacity, transports gas to Germany. The route of the second segment will be negotiated with Russia, but Mr. Steinhoff noted that it cannot pose a threat to Ukraine.

"Today, the Polish side confirmed its resolute position on the strategic partnership with Ukraine. I am particularly happy because we clarified the issues that threatened Ukraine's economic interests. And I also say that the Ukrainian side will honor its obligations," Polish Radio quoted Mr. Yermilov as saying.

Jan Maksymiuk is the Belarus, Ukraine and Poland specialist on the staff of RFE/RL Newsline.

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