Baltics set to start building common energy grid

TALLINN (BNS) - The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said in a resolution adopted at their meeting in Tallinn on Feb. 18 that it was necessary to set up a common Baltic energy market and a joint transmission grid.

Set out as the priorities in the resolution were the Baltic energy market and transmission lines between the Baltics, Poland and Finland.

The prime ministers gave the joint energy committee the task to work toward opening of the Baltic energy market by 2002 and its integration with the European energy market, by presenting a report to the next meeting of prime ministers about the actions necessary to achieve that goal.

Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar and his Lithuanian counterpart, Andrius Kubilius, said they would consult respectively with the Finnish and the Polish government on the topic of establishing a joint energy network.

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Skele said at a joint news conference that Latvia was particularly interested in a gas pipeline between the Baltics and Finland. This, he said, would offer use to Latvia's unique gas storage facilities made up of large sandstone caves.