* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)
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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Wednesday (July 15) that the companies working at Nord Stream 2 and the second line of Turk Stream energy pipeline projects are at risk of US sanctions.
Speaking at a press briefing, Pompeo said the Department of State was updating public guidance for the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) authorities to include these projects.
"Today the Department of State is updating the public guidance for CAATSA authorities to include Nord Stream 2 and the second line of TurkStream," he said, warning that "this action puts investments or other activities related to these Russian energy export pipelines at risk of U.S. sanctions."
'They are Kremlin's tools of exploitation'
"It is a clear warning to companies aiding and abetting Russia's malign influence projects will not be tolerated. Get out now, or risk the consequences," Pompeo threatened the companies and added:
"Let me be clear: These are not commercial projects. They are Kremlin's key tools to exploit and expand European dependence on Russian energy supplies, tools that undermine Ukraine by cutting off gas transiting that critical democracy, a tool that ultimately undermines transatlantic security. US is always ready to help our European friends meet their energy needs."
Russia: It is political pressure
In response to these remarks, Maria Zakharova, the Spokesperson for Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said tha sanctions on the two pipelines equated to political pressure, TASS news agency reported.
"This is the use of political pressure for unfair competition," Zakharova said. "It is an indicator of the weakness of the American system. Apart from forceful methods, there are no effective tools."
TurkStream Project
A natural gas pipeline running from Russia to Turkey. It starts from Russkaya compressor station near Anapa in Russia's Krasnodar Region, crossing the Black Sea to the receiving terminal at Kıyıköy. On 10 October 2016, Russia and Turkey officially signed the intergovernmental agreement in Istanbul to execute the project. The pipeline is estimated to cost 11.4 billion Euro. The pipeline has two lines with a total capacity of 31.5 billion m3/a (1.11 trillion cu ft/a) of natural gas. The first line supplies Turkey and the second line transport natural gas further to South East and Central Europe. TurkStream begins at the Russkaya compressor station near Anapa. It runs approximately 930 km (578 mi) offshore, of which approximately 230 km (140 mi) is located in the Russian maritime zones and approximately 700 km (435 mi) is located in Turkey's waters The landing point in Turkey is Kıyıköy, a village in the district of Vize in Kırklareli Province. Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2 is planned to pass through the waters of five Baltic Sea nations: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. In 2011, Nord Stream AG started evaluation of an expansion project consisting of two additional lines (later named Nord Stream 2) to increase the overall annual capacity up to 110 billion m3. Pipeline construction began in 2018. Denmark was the last country to grant approval for the project. As reported by the US-based Wall Street Journal newspaper on July 9, 2020, Denmark "granted unexpectedly swift approval for resuming construction of the Russian-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Danish waters, potentially clearing one of the last hurdles for completing the project at the center of a geopolitical tussle." * Maps: AA |
(EKN/SD)
