Russia not to switch energy supplies from west to east over Ukraine – official

File Photo of Blue Flame from Natural Gas

(RIA Novosti – Beijing, April 0, 2014) Russia does not intend to switch energy exports from the western to the eastern direction because of an escalation of tension over Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Arkadiy Dvorkovich said on Wednesday [9 April] after a meeting with the co-chairs of the Russia-China energy cooperation committee .

“At the moment we have no intention of redirecting (oil and gas) flows (from Europe to Asia). We are ready to fulfil all our obligations on the western as well as eastern direction, moreover to increase exports if the markets require so,” Dvorkovich told journalists.

“This primarily concerns gas, we can see such needs. We will give the opportunity to all interested partners to receive our energy resources and estimate that, regardless of the political situation, the exports on all directions will increase and there will be no swapping of the western for the eastern direction,” he added.

Asked whether the worsening of the relationship between Russia and its Western partners has led to a harder position of China in the Russia-China talks on energy cooperation, Dvorkovich remarked that “the current situation has no effect on the talks”.

“We have a long-term relationship of strategic partnership. We proceed from long-term interests. A short-term political situation has no influence over these long-term interests. We proceed from the fact that all talks must be held and are held according to the market situation, mutual benefits. This is how our Chinese partners act, we are grateful for this, we act in the same way,” Dvorkovich said.

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