German SPD official defends pro-Nord Stream 2 policy
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline to bring Russian gas to Germany should not be mixed up with political and human rights disputes with Moscow, a senior official from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) that leads Germany's coalition government told Reuters.
The pipeline was completed in September, but is awaiting approval from German and European Union regulators, and some politicians - in Germany and abroad - have said it should be blocked due to several policy disagreements with Russia.
"Nord Stream 2 is, so to say, nearly connected to the grid, with only the lack of legal permits hindering the final start of operations," the SPD's general secretary, Kevin Kuehnert, said in an interview.
"At some stage, there must be political and legal peace in such a discussion," he added.
Kuehnert said the project, led by Russia's Gazprom , should not be mixed up with responses to Russia's territorial controversies with Ukraine and human rights issues, where Berlin had clear positions and diplomatic strategies.
The SPD's support for the pipeline under the Baltic Sea, a geopolitical irritant to the United States and countries including Ukraine and Poland, contrasts with the position of its junior coalition partner the Greens, but mirrors the stance of former Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats' (CDU).
Merkel declared the pipeline a commercial project, a line carried on by SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In another jibe at the Greens over the EU's energy definitions - which have classed nuclear power and gas as climate-friendly - Kuehnert said trying to throw out Brussels' proposals was "utopian," given Germany's opposition to nuclear put it in a minority position.
The EU is also in favour of using gas as a bridging technology under certain conditions until renewables and clean hydrogen can replace it. read more Kuehnert said a majority of environmental groups accepted this reasoning.
"Nord Stream 2 is, so to say, nearly connected to the grid, with only the lack of legal permits hindering the final start of operations," the SPD's general secretary, Kevin Kuehnert, said in an interview.
"At some stage, there must be political and legal peace in such a discussion," he added.
Kuehnert said the project, led by Russia's Gazprom , should not be mixed up with responses to Russia's territorial controversies with Ukraine and human rights issues, where Berlin had clear positions and diplomatic strategies.
The SPD's support for the pipeline under the Baltic Sea, a geopolitical irritant to the United States and countries including Ukraine and Poland, contrasts with the position of its junior coalition partner the Greens, but mirrors the stance of former Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats' (CDU).
Merkel declared the pipeline a commercial project, a line carried on by SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
In another jibe at the Greens over the EU's energy definitions - which have classed nuclear power and gas as climate-friendly - Kuehnert said trying to throw out Brussels' proposals was "utopian," given Germany's opposition to nuclear put it in a minority position.
The EU is also in favour of using gas as a bridging technology under certain conditions until renewables and clean hydrogen can replace it. read more Kuehnert said a majority of environmental groups accepted this reasoning.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.