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Skybird · 11-15-19, 03:56 PM

On gas. The dispute over North Stream 2.

https://www.spiegel.de/international...a-1296251.html

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The American claims that Germany is importing 70-80% of its gas from Russia, is a typical Trumpian lie. In 2017, two thirds of the primary energy ressources like gas, oil, coal that are needed in Germany for energy production, indeed got imported, that is above EU average. 38% of the coal imports come from Russia (18% from the US). One third of the German gas imports come from Norway, and another third from Russia, and almost as big share, just slightly smaller, comes from the Netherlands. Of the oil imports, 36% of the imports come form Russia, 12% from Norway, and 8% each from the UK, Libya and Kasachstan, the rest from I seem to recall two dozen other sellers.

However, for Russia, Germany is the most important single buyer of their gas, and Germany is the second biggest buyer behind the Netherlands of Russian oil. Its is this strategic keyhole that you can bet is being eyed by Washington to mount pressure on Russia. Also, the Americans want to sell their own gas to Germany (which is not popular on the global market because it gets produced with a far bigger ecological footprint than the gas from Russia and other gas-producers, the American gas also is more toxic when beeing burned than gas from other sources on the market). Washington thus also wants to eliminate an economic competitor and rival. Washington'S claims that it wants to protect Germany from one-sided dependencnies, are not only arrogant, but are absurd and hide the shadowy aspects in the alternative offerings Washington makes. We have diversified the origins and carriers of our energy mix so much that we now use and get energy from over three dozen different origins and places. So what ever Washingtons claims its interest and motive is to prevent this pipeline: altruism and sympathy for Germany that must be protected from the Russians, has little if not nothing to do with it. Own American interest most likely is the far more important motive here.

Also, the Ukraine conflict plays a role, too, since the oil transferred through the Ukraine gives the Ukraine the possibility to demand transfer fees form moscow and also to steal oil from the transfer for its own consumption. We have had problems with that some years ago when reduced ammounts of oil arrived in Europe after the Ukrainian transit and left many households in Southern Europe in the cold: first due to the oil stolen by the ukraine, and then not being delivered by Moscow when they stopped delivery until transportation was possible under explicite avoidance of those parts of the Ukrainian network of pipleines where the losses were diagnosed to take place, also new diplomatic guarantees by Kiew both to Brussles and Moscow were given. The German intention to complete North Stream 2 is due to this example set. So that energy supply security is given independently of any possible problems and conflicts between Moscow and either the Ukraine, or Poland. The Polish lose a dead pledge that would allow them to control energy imports into the EU that go in thopriuhg their territory, so that they do not like this bypass, can be understood, it strips them of a tool for blackmailing Brussels in case of - of something... But the Polish intention is at the cost of the rest of the EU: and thus the German determination to materialise this bypass pipeline should there ever be an issue in or with Poland.

For comparable reasons the conflict between Brussels and Washington over the pipeline through Turkey.

11-15-19, 03:56 PM	#889
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,735 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	On gas. The dispute over North Stream 2. https://www.spiegel.de/international...a-1296251.html --- The American claims that Germany is importing 70-80% of its gas from Russia, is a typical Trumpian lie. In 2017, two thirds of the primary energy ressources like gas, oil, coal that are needed in Germany for energy production, indeed got imported, that is above EU average. 38% of the coal imports come from Russia (18% from the US). One third of the German gas imports come from Norway, and another third from Russia, and almost as big share, just slightly smaller, comes from the Netherlands. Of the oil imports, 36% of the imports come form Russia, 12% from Norway, and 8% each from the UK, Libya and Kasachstan, the rest from I seem to recall two dozen other sellers. However, for Russia, Germany is the most important single buyer of their gas, and Germany is the second biggest buyer behind the Netherlands of Russian oil. Its is this strategic keyhole that you can bet is being eyed by Washington to mount pressure on Russia. Also, the Americans want to sell their own gas to Germany (which is not popular on the global market because it gets produced with a far bigger ecological footprint than the gas from Russia and other gas-producers, the American gas also is more toxic when beeing burned than gas from other sources on the market). Washington thus also wants to eliminate an economic competitor and rival. Washington'S claims that it wants to protect Germany from one-sided dependencnies, are not only arrogant, but are absurd and hide the shadowy aspects in the alternative offerings Washington makes. We have diversified the origins and carriers of our energy mix so much that we now use and get energy from over three dozen different origins and places. So what ever Washingtons claims its interest and motive is to prevent this pipeline: altruism and sympathy for Germany that must be protected from the Russians, has little if not nothing to do with it. Own American interest most likely is the far more important motive here. Also, the Ukraine conflict plays a role, too, since the oil transferred through the Ukraine gives the Ukraine the possibility to demand transfer fees form moscow and also to steal oil from the transfer for its own consumption. We have had problems with that some years ago when reduced ammounts of oil arrived in Europe after the Ukrainian transit and left many households in Southern Europe in the cold: first due to the oil stolen by the ukraine, and then not being delivered by Moscow when they stopped delivery until transportation was possible under explicite avoidance of those parts of the Ukrainian network of pipleines where the losses were diagnosed to take place, also new diplomatic guarantees by Kiew both to Brussles and Moscow were given. The German intention to complete North Stream 2 is due to this example set. So that energy supply security is given independently of any possible problems and conflicts between Moscow and either the Ukraine, or Poland. The Polish lose a dead pledge that would allow them to control energy imports into the EU that go in thopriuhg their territory, so that they do not like this bypass, can be understood, it strips them of a tool for blackmailing Brussels in case of - of something... But the Polish intention is at the cost of the rest of the EU: and thus the German determination to materialise this bypass pipeline should there ever be an issue in or with Poland. For comparable reasons the conflict between Brussels and Washington over the pipeline through Turkey. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.