MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2021) Experts and representatives of the European Union and Germany are engaged in discussions of the Russia-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project with the US, Der Spiegel reported on Friday.
Earlier in the week, environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe, which actively opposes Nord Stream 2, published a letter allegedly sent in August by German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz to then-US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The letter reportedly indicated Berlin's readiness to allocate 1 billion Euros ($1.21 billion) to support the US liquefied natural gas industry if Washington halts attempts to interfere with the Russia-led project. In this regard, Scholz was urgently summoned to the Bundestag for hearings on the matter.
According to the newspaper, the discussions have been underway for several days and are focused on the so-called strategic package that would satisfy Washington, including an option to automatically suspend gas supplies via Nord Stream 2 if Russia violates human rights or international law.
According to the publication, Sigmar Gabriel, the ex-chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, is among those engaged in discussions.
The German government hopes that it will be easier to reach an agreement over the project with US President Joe Biden than with the previous administration, the newspaper added.
Washington is a vocal opponent to the Russian-led pipeline project aimed at carrying up to 2 trillion cubic feet of gas per year from Russia to Germany, as it seeks to export more liquefied natural gas to Europe. The pipeline's construction was suspended a year ago after US sanctions forced Swiss offshore pipeline company Allseas to withdraw from the project. Construction was resumed in December 2020 and is expected to take several months to complete, according to expert estimates.
