Sechin’s Risks

For as often as we hear the pained and repetitive declarations from Gazprom officials about Russia being a normal, regular, and reliable supplier of energy, once in a while we still get threats like this one from energy czar Igor Sechin:

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said on Thursday transit risks remain for Russian gas deliveries to Europe, Interfax news agency reported.

“From our point of view, risks remain. We have not yet reached guaranteed stability and we are prepared to clarify our position on this issue,” Interfax quoted Sechin, who oversees Russia’s energy sector, as saying.

Sechin was speaking at a conference alongside EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, who is no stranger to the use of energy supplies as a political weapon, Gazprom’s monopoly, and was a major proponent of the new unbundling regulations.