Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We have published our Green Paper and we will go along with that. The broader issue under discussion and one of the reasons President Putin is going is the difficulties that occurred after last Christmas in regard to supply. The aim is to try to create a better understanding with Europe. Chancellor Merkel has rightly put as the big initiative for her Presidency to try to get a European agreement on energy so Europe would not be isolated or divided on energy supply either from Russia or the other countries in the region. As most of Europe is taking in the order of 80% of its supply from the region, it must get agreements and understandings on supply and security of supply and negotiate on a rounder basis, as it is a European issue. From that point of view, it will be an interesting discussion with President Putin on Friday.

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