Paet Emphasizes Energy Connections With Latvia, Lithuania
At a Baltic Assembly and Baltic Council of Ministers meeting held during a cold snap when the temperature in Tallinn has failed to rise above freezing for two days, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stressed the importance of developing Baltic energy independence.
"Connecting the Baltic states' energy markets to one another and to the rest of Europe will help reduce dependence on monopoly foreign suppliers," said Paet. "We need to build new connections, integrate energy markets, diversify suppliers and bring LNG to the market."
Paet said he was pleased that a LNG terminal would open in Klaipėda in late October. "The liquefied natural gas imported thourgh the terminal will bring energy security not only to Lithuania but to the entire region."
The prime ministers of Finland and Estonia announced headway late last night on plans for LNG import terminals on opposite shores of the Gulf of Finland as well.
Other topics discussed at the Baltic cooperation formats were NATO security, Rail Baltic and the digital single market.