Friction over oil plans

By David Cronin

Date: 15/01/04

EXTERNAL Relations Commissioner Chris Patten has protested over plans by Russian energy giant LUKoil to extract oil from an ecologically sensitive peninsula that is just six kilometres from Russia's border with Lithuania.

Patten said he is concerned that LUKoil wishes to proceed with oil prospecting in the Curonian Spit "without having conducted an environmental impact assessment that meets high international standards".

Located 22km from the Russian coast, the 98km Spit is shared by Lithuania and Russia's Baltic enclave Kaliningrad.

Since 2000, the UN's Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has listed the Spit as a world heritage site.

Additionally, it is due to be part of the EU-sponsored Natura 2000 network of areas requiring special protection once Lithuania enters the Union in May. The sand dunes it boasts are among the highest in Europe but their future was already in jeopardy due to erosion caused by climatic conditions.

Fears have been voiced by the 3,000 people living on the Lithuanian side of the Spit about how an oil slick could do untold damage to a local economy, heavily reliant on tourism and fishing.

Vast quantities of oil were discovered by Soviet geologists, beside the Spit in 1983. But a campaign by local residents thwarted attempts by oil firms to begin drilling around that time.

Responding to a recent query by Green MEPs Elisabeth Schroedter (Germany) and Inger Schörling (Sweden), Patten said the Commission will strive to convince Russia that a transparent impact assessment "should be conducted and all relevant precautionary measures should be taken".

Chris Patten, European Commissioner for External Relations is concerned about plans by Russian oil company LUKoil to extract oil from the Curonian Spit, close to Russia's border with Lithuania.