EUROPEAN-RUSSIAN ENERGY CO-OPERATION

Early day motion 208, tabled 16 January 2001 by Robert Wareing (Labour). Signed by 59 members.

That this House notes the developing conflict between the high prices of oil maintained by the OPEC countries and the priorities of consumers and governments Europe-wide; notes that changes over the past decade have positioned the Russian oil industry ideally to provide a stabilising role in the global oil market and to assist European markets diversify their sources; and urges Her Majesty's Government to support the EU initiative towards a strategic energy agreement with Russia discussed at the Paris Summit on 30th October 2000, which seeks to provide a secure strategic energy source to supplement OPEC and which would provide reciprocal benefits to the peoples and economies of Russia and the EU countries.

Signatures by party: Labour 42, Liberal Democrat 8, Conservative 5, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.