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EU Parliament Committee calls for diversification of energy suppliers

BRUSSELS, May 9 (KUNA) -- The Energy Committee of the European Parliament has issued a report calling for opening up to new foreign energy suppliers and for lesser dependance on Russia for energy supplies to Europe.
The Committee in a statement Wednesday said diversification of suppliers, routes and sources is deemed necessary in order to secure EU's energy supply.
The report clarified that "diversification should mean new non-Russian sources of oil, gas and electricity for those EU Member States which are overly dependent on this single supplier." Russian gas accounts for only 24 percent of gas consumed in the EU, but in 12 out of the 27 EU Member States it accounts for more than 48 percent.
The report stressed that energy should be seen principally as a commodity and should not be used as a foreign policy tool.
The Committee welcomed the proposed 'EU-Southern Mediterranean Energy Partnership' which aims to develop the enormous solar energy potential of the region. (end) nk.nfm KUNA 091207 May 12NNNN