tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19791491.post114579353358744877..comments2023-09-28T15:43:24.855+02:00Comments on Vilhelm Konnander's weblog: Russia Uses Energy to Bully its NeighboursVilhelm Konnanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09167606906861836286noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19791491.post-1145984883644432042006-04-25T19:08:00.000+02:002006-04-25T19:08:00.000+02:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.La Russophobehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05672264388217953086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19791491.post-1145909390276900982006-04-24T22:09:00.000+02:002006-04-24T22:09:00.000+02:00Dear Mr. Shedd,Yes, this is really an effort on Mr...Dear Mr. Shedd,<BR/><BR/>Yes, this is really an effort on Mr. Putin's part, to do what European politicians have not been able to over the last odd 30 years. One really must admire the fellow for being so zealous in his fight for the global climate.<BR/><BR/>As for my own country, viz. Sweden, we had a referendum back in 1980 deciding to phase out nuclear energy by the year 2010. So far, only one reactor has been closed down, and in reality the output of nuclear energy has increased over the last years. This is a general trend in many European countries, and it remains to be seen whether there will be a renaissance for nuclear energy.<BR/><BR/>Not so long ago, I was asked to write an article on the Swedish position concerning the consequences of the Baltic pipeline for a Russian journal. The thing is that Sweden has no real position on the issue, since Swedish import of natural gas is next to non-existent. As for oil, Sweden may still diversify, even though imports from Russia has risen by 53% over the last two years. Consequently, little was to be said on the issue, since Russia's Baltic pipeline do not concern us that much. As for Poland and Germany, the matter is of a completely different character, as both countries are heavily dependent on Russian gas.<BR/><BR/>As for Putin's maffia tactics as a winning formula for a paradigm-shift in European energy policy, it remains to be seen whether this will suffice for the lame European politico-bureaucrats. The fact that Putin applies such tactics may be explained by a simple " mal môt": Raz CheKist - vsegda CheKist.<BR/><BR/>Yours,<BR/><BR/>VilhelmVilhelm Konnanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04506899921990227704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19791491.post-1145840845713531522006-04-24T03:07:00.000+02:002006-04-24T03:07:00.000+02:00It is very encouraging to see VVP doing his very b...It is very encouraging to see VVP doing his very best to promote alternative and renewable energy in Europe. Greenpeace and the Sierra Club just might make him man of the Year in 2006 for such aggressive policies to force Europe off of Russian natural gas and Russian petroleum.<BR/><BR/>As petroleum and natural gas prices climb ever higher, it simply makes alternative energy sources, be it nuclear, wind, or solar that much more economically feasible. Combine that economic reality with political blackmail and you have a winning formula for encouraging the spending of billions in those areas. Mafia tactics only work when there are no alternatives. While Europe might be unprepared in the short-term, it is unlikely that would remain unchanged in the long-term.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03763388102724032676noreply@blogger.com