Finland may back Nord Stream

HELSINKI, Finland, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The government of Finland may give its backing to construct the Nord Stream gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea to Germany, Finnish officials said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb told Belgian state radio the $12 billion Nord Stream was vital for diversifying regional gas supplies, RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

Nord Stream would bypass some European gas-transit nations, notably Ukraine, to bring natural gas through the Gulf of Finland and Baltic Sea to Germany.

A January dispute between Russia and Ukraine disrupted gas supplies to Europe, as Ukraine hosts the vast majority of Russian natural gas to European customers. The row put renewed focus on energy diversification.

Littoral states and several local communities had expressed concerns that the construction of Nord Stream would cause ecological problems in the Baltic region.

Officials in the region, however, said the need to diversify the European energy sector may trump any environmental concerns.

Officials with Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, the majority shareholder in the pipeline consortium, said Wednesday Nord Stream construction could begin in 2009.