Nord Stream Gets Go-Ahead Denmark Approves Russian Baltic Pipeline - enabling Russia to cut off gas to Eastern neighbors while supplying W Europe

The Danish Energy Agency approved Russia's controversial Nord Stream pipeline across the Baltic Sea on Tuesday. The line will deliver Russian natural gas to Western Europe but has drawn massive criticism from Eastern European countries who fear Moscow will use it as a political weapon.

Denmark moved on Tuesday to provide Russian gas giant Gazprom with the go-ahead to lay a controversial pipeline through Danish waters in the Baltic Sea. The approval came after several months of heavy diplomatic activity between Denmark and Russia, including a personal phone call from the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

"We have given our approval after evaluating all the environmental problems. We have found the project to be fully safe," said Energy Agency engineer Kirsten Lundt Eriksen.

The Nord Stream project -- which is to transport gas from Vyborg in Russia to Greifswald on the German coast -- has been strongly opposed by several Eastern and Central European countries, but now seems closer than ever to reality.

Nord Stream will enable Russia to cut off gas to its eastern neighbours while maintaining supplies to Western Europe. Disagreements with Ukraine in particular have given rise to temporary cut-offs in supplies in recent years. FULL STORY