Finland Against Russian-German Nord Stream

Finland doesn not like the idea that the major gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany is built by a private consortium, the country's Foreign Minister said.

The Nord Stream consortium, owned by Russia’s Gazprom with Germany’s BASF, E.ON and Dutch Gasunie plans a 1,200 kilometer subsea pipeline in the Baltic Sea, linking the two countries.

Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva said Finland has environmental concerns regarding the pipeline but that the Nordic country did not see a security policy threat in the project, as suggested by some countries opposing it.

Poland, along with the Baltic Countries and Sweden have along with Finland raised ecological and other concerns about the pipeline.

Warsaw fears Nord Stream bypassing its territory would enable Russia to cut off crucial gas supplies to Poland, while continuing to deliver to Western Europe.