Conference sees diversification of energy sources, production as 'key' to security
The threat of terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and instability in oil-exporting regions like the Middle East: These were among the topics being discussed in Prague this week at the "Energy and Security" conference organised by the Programme of Atlantic Security Studies (PASS), a local think-tank.
PASS coordinator Alexandr Vondra, a former deputy minister of foreign affairs and Czech ambassador to the U.S., opened the "Energy and Security" conference at the Czech senate on Wednesday. Security concerns and skyrocketing oil prices have driven countries to look anew at diversifying their energy supplies and domestic production, a process this country began in earnest a decade ago, Mr Vondra told Radio Prague on the margins of the event.
"The prices of oil and gas are going up everywhere. It constitutes not only an economic challenge, not only a security challenge, but also an environmental challenge."
RP: You also mentioned that the Czech Republic is a net exporter to the European Union of energy, meaning electricity coming from nuclear power at the Temelin station....
"Yes, that's correct. And I am not among those who would be negative about nuclear power. It's a clean source of energy; we have it. So, that's without any doubt a possibility how to go forward.
RP: Of course the theme of this conference is 'Energy and Security'. Let's say 8 to 10 years ago, security of supply was a greater issue here especially in terms of natural gas. The 'druzhba' ['friendship'] pipeline transporting Russian gas through Ukraine was occasionally cut off - how do you see things today, in terms of security?
RP: On a larger scale, though, on a geo-political scale, you also mentioned that every time you drive a car or pay for [petroleum-based] energy of some sort, that money is going to the Middle East. And, if I heard correctly, you said one-fifth of this money you spend is going "to a mosque"?
"Oh, yes. That's a classic taxation. In the Middle Ages there was the so-called one-tenth [tithe] or 'desatek' went to the church. In the Muslim countries of the greater Middle East, it's very well known that one-fifth of his income, the Muslim should bring to the mosque."
"So, in fact, it means — at least for those countries that import their oil from the Middle East, and this is not so much the case for the Czechs, but it is definitely the case of the western Europeans and to a large extent the Americans too — if you have gasoline (petrol) from the Middle East in your car, then 200 metres of each kilometre you are driving is your 'contribution' to the mosque."
"Of course, it does not mean that all that money will end up in the pockets of the Muslim radicals but at least some of that money definitely ends up there."
William Martin, a member of the PASS board of directors and a former U.S. deputy secretary of energy, says diversification is the key to security. He told Radio Prague that it was with this in mind that the Czech government struggled to break free of dependency on Russia natural gas in the mid 1990s.
"It's very important that the Czech Republic - in fact, any nation - diversify it's energy resources, so that no one source or no one fuel dominates the economy because once a country owns, basically, 50 or 60 percent of the market, they can either use that for political purposes against you, or they can raise the price — indiscriminately — because you have no alternatives.
"Fortunately, the Czech Republic is in a situation where they can import quite a bit of Norwegian gas, possibly gas from Africa, and Russian gas. So, the key to security, and the key to a good economic future, is to diversify those resources."
