Energy independence totally inaccessible for rich countries: IEA

The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said that energy independence is totally inaccessible for the world's top economies, especially Europe and the United States and Japan.

In an interview with French economic daily Les Echos in its Tuesday edition, Claude Mandil said energy independence "is totally inaccessible, as much for Europe and for the United States and Japan".

As to the recent moves toward concentration in the European energy sector, he said that Europe should not discourage the creation of large energy groups, noting the key lays in "the flexibility of supplies", including gas from Russia and that developed economies should "not put all their eggs in one basket".

He described Europe's access to energy from Russia as "an exceptional opportunity", saying it was also in Russia's interest to open its gas sector.

"It is in their interest to open up the game because, despite high prices, Gazprom" -- which holds a state monopoly on gas exports -- "does not have sufficient means to invest in production ", Mandil said.

Regarding the merge between the French state-owned utility Gaz de France and utility giant Suez, Mandil said that he was not " among those who are worried about the idea of seeing large groups emerge" in Europe's energy sector.

"Neither a Suez-Gaz de France merger nor a Suez-Enel grouping bother me, as long as competition can develop without hindrance ... In other words, as long as each consumer can truly make choices about his supplier," he said.

Source: Xinhua