Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on April 20 expressed his support for a planned underwater Baltic Sea gas pipeline during a two-day state visit to neighbouring Finland. The Russian head of state and his wife were received by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and other officials, with the exception of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen who was in China.
Medvedev and Halonen touched on the Nord Stream project during their talks and at a news conference. The Russian president said the “project is of great benefit for the whole of Europe and individual countries.” The 1,200-kilometre pipeline would run from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald, Germany and pass through the Finnish economic zone.
Finland and other countries are evaluating the plans presented by the international consortium including Russian gas giant Gazprom. “If one can guarantee that the pipeline is ecologically safe, we think it would be a good solution,” Halonen said. The visit is Medvedev’s first to Finland since he took office after Vladimir Putin.