Did Russia stiff Europe’s gas supply?

by YankeeJim | February 4, 2012 at 03:16 am

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National needs first is the way of the world

Get used to it: customers first – first the supplier nation’s customers and then everyone else.

Supplier integrity and reputation is at stake in these matters. Did any European customer nation expect anything less from the Russian brand of service and supply?

“Report: Russia’s Gazprom acknowledges cutting gas supplies to Europe

By Associated Press,

MOSCOW — Russia’s Gazprom has acknowledged that it briefly reduced gas supplies to Europe as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ordered the Kremlin-controlled monopoly to concentrate on domestic customers.

Gazprom’s Andrey Kruglov is quoted by the RIA Novosti agency as saying Saturday that for several days the cuts reached up to 10 per cent, but supplies are currently back to normal.

RIA quoted Putin as telling Gazprom officials that they should “take maximal steps to provide the needs of our foreign partners,” but domestic supplies should remain their priority.

The severe winter in Russia has seen temperatures drop to minus 35 Celsius (minus 30 Fahrenheit).

European Union officials said Friday that Russian gas supplies to some member states dwindled by up to 30 percent.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.”