Poland Says EU Must Push Russia to Sign Energy Charter

Poland may block a new EU-Russia partnership agreement if it does not include a call for Moscow to commit to supplying Russian gas and oil to Europe, an official said Thursday.

The EU has pushed Russia to sign a charter which would set up formal rules for dealing with transport and supply issues - like Russia's spat with Ukraine last winter that saw Moscow temporarily turn off Europe's gas supply.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will not ratify the charter in its current form.

Poland disagrees with the majority of EU countries on how to deal with Russia's crucial energy supplies. It wants the bloc to take a hard line with Moscow, requiring more access for foreign investors and secure supplies for western European countries. The EU and Russia are due to hold a summit on Nov. 24.

Witold Sobkow, Poland's undersecretary of state for European affairs, said the country's president, prime minister and foreign minister discussed the issue Thursday and were also in close touch with Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, in search of a compromise.

He said Poland would block any EU negotiating position "without any problems" that did not include ratification of the energy charter.

"If the top (Polish) politicians decide that we can accept something less than the Energy Charter Treaty and Transit Protocol but still ensure that the Polish national interest is respected, we will reach a compromise," he said.

Poland is largely dependent on Russian oil and gas and Sobkow said the country was seeking to diversify its energy suppliers.

"We want to talk to Russia. We don't want to isolate Russia. We want to start with a position of friendship, but also speaking with a strong voice. We are a tough partner," Sobkow said.

At an October EU summit in Finland, Putin dodged the EU's demands to ratify the charter that would regulate transit and investment in the energy sector and allow for market competition between foreign and independent companies.

The EU is anxious to secure future supplies of oil and gas from Russia but concerned about Moscow's reliability as a source - at a time of questions about backsliding on democracy.