US Expert: Russian Gas Import May Negatively Impact Georgia-U.S. Relations

U.S. External Policy Council Expert Stephen Blank told Georgian newspaper Kviris Palitra that gas import from Russia will negatively impact Georgia-U.S. relations. 

Blank says he cannot see any need for Russian or Iranian gas while Azerbaijan provides Georgia with sufficient volume of natural gas, calling it “a policy of private and not social profit.”

The US expert said the policy undermines Georgia’s opportunities to resist Russia and will negatively impact Georgia-U.S. relations.

On the reports of media over possible import of Iranian gas, Georgia’s Energy Minister responded that there is no particular agreement with Iran signed yet. According to Deputy Energy Minister Ilia Eloshvili, Georgia will have financial liabilities with Gazprom, as the pipeline which will potentially provide Georgia with gas from Russia. 

Minister of Energy Kakha Kaladze and Gazprom representative Elena Burmistrova on December 27 met in Zurich.