Medvedev: Russia, Europe keen to increase energy supply potential

Stockholm, November 18 - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev thanked Sweden for allowing the building the Nord Stream pipeline through its country's economic zone and promised assistance in diversifying energy resources to Europe. "We appreciate the decision that was made by the Swedish government upon serious elaboration and reflection, on the basis of the internal procedures for permitting the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline through the [Swedish] economic zone," Medvedev told a press conference after talks with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Nov. 18."This attests to Stockholm's thought-through position and also to the fact that this project is mutually beneficial and is of interest to Europe since it is aimed at making European energy security more versatile," Medvedev said."This is our common goal: the more opportunities we have for supplying energy resources, the more independent Europe will be in terms of sources of energy supply," he said."Russia has always believed that these processes should be helped. Somewhere these processes are being helped by Russia, somewhere this is done without our involvement, but that is normal too, there is nothing special about it," Medvedev said.