Posted on 09/05/2006 4:01:38 AM PDT by A. Pole
Reuters
WARSAW -- Poland will ask the United States to back efforts to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies in exchange for agreeing to allow a U.S. anti-missile defense system on its territory, a Polish newspaper reported Monday.
Rzeczpospolita cited diplomatic sources as saying Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski would discuss ways the United States could help increase Poland's access to Central Asian supplies when he visits Washington later this month.
Poland, a U.S. ally in Iraq, hopes the United States will push through a project to build a gas pipeline across the Caspian Sea that could link Kazakh and Turkmen gas fields directly to Western markets, Rzeczpospolita said.
Washington, vying with Moscow and Beijing for influence in Central Asia, wants to develop gas and oil pipelines that would bypass Russia and Iran.
"For the Polish government, the question of reducing its dependence from Russia with the help of the U.S. project, will be the main point of the Washington visit," the newspaper quoted a Polish diplomat as saying.
In return, Poland, now almost entirely dependent on Russian supplies, would agree to let Washington station its anti-missile defense system that would use rockets to shoot down ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear warheads.
The plan to place the shield in Poland has annoyed Moscow, which suggests the plan is aimed at Russia. Poland's leaders, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and his twin brother Lech, the president, regard the United States as a guarantor of security and have pledged to continue strong military cooperation with Washington.
The Foreign Ministry's spokesman was not available for comment.
Build more nukes. It is good to see the Poles are forward thinking enough to want a level of independence.
Pipelines bump
Crabalocker T. Cornpone might help .
Poland has plenty of coal and a slowly foundering coal industry..
Europe doesn't use coal as much due to environmental concerns..
Poland should implement a project to convert that coal into Liquid Natural Gas for use within Poland itself..
If there turns out to be an excess of production, nearby Chech republic, or Germany will buy any that Poland may have..
Coal gasification plants would be cheaper in the long run than paying for long distance pipelines controlled by competing interests..
An additional step in the process can be made to produce synthetic fuels for transportation, etc..
At present prices and rates, this is a competitive method of acquiring the "natural" gas that Poland needs..
Smart way to garner more support from a populace who is largely against part of the missile defense system in their country. They are getting something in return (which they probably would have gotten anyway).
Any links available?
Washington, vying with Moscow and Beijing for influence in Central Asia, wants to develop gas and oil pipelines that would bypass Russia and Iran. ===
How?:)
Through Caucasus ?
Well, this is so far a promise.
How?:)
According to a map from Rzeczpospolita (save it - it will be free online not for long) the promised pipeline will go through Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. A very long way to bypass Russia.
According to a map from Rzeczpospolita (save it - it will be free online not for long) the promised pipeline will go through Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. A very long way to bypass Russia.==
I may say that it seems like SEP (South Eropian pipeline) vs NEP. But SEP is longer and IMHO are lesser with gas supplies. But who knows maybe Poland may gather the amount of money and build such pipeline.
Let it be. I'm pro-competition:).
The idea is very good but gas from coal need to be cheaper than imported natural gas. or oil Current technology used on the wide scale in the RSA cannot be adopted in Poland. In the RSA they have quarries while in Poland we have traditional coal mines. Due to the fact that extraction is cheaper, RSA succeed in competition with oil. In Poland even with today’s huge market prices for oil, still it is unprofitable. I know that many scientist work to discover better technology but without success yet.
Sure.. Here ya go..
http://www.mines.edu/Research/PTTC/newsletters/volume%208/v8n3p6.html
http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/gasificationpioneer.html
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