VZCZCXRO1884
OO RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHWR #0031 0081332
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 081332Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY WARSAW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2791
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2558
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV IMMEDIATE 0019
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHKW/AMCONSUL KRAKOW 1488

UNCLAS WARSAW 000031 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/ERA, EB/ESC 
EUR/NCE FOR DKOSTELANCIK AND BPUTNEY 
EB/ERA FOR LCATIPON, DLIPPEATT 
EB/ESC/IEC FOR SGALLOGLY, JLEWANDOWSKI, RGARVERICK 
NSC FOR ASTERLING 
USDOC FOR 4232/ITA/MAC/EUR/JBURGESS, JKIMBALL, MWILSON 
TREASURY FOR MGAERTNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG ECON PREL PGOV PL RS BO UP GM
SUBJECT: Poland:  GOP Unconcerned about Druzba Oil Cut 
 
This cable is sensitive, but unclassified, and NOT for Internet 
distribution. 
 
¶1.  (U)  Polish Deputy Minister of Economy Piotr Naimski confirmed 
that oil supply to Poland through the Druzba oil pipeline from 
Belarus was cut on January 7 at approximately 2200, reinstated at 
0300, then cut it again at approximately 0600 on January 8.  One 
hundred percent of Polish oil supply from the East transits Belarus. 
 Naimski noted that the oil cut is related to political problems 
between Russia and Belarus in regards to tariffs for oil transport. 
He characterized the Russian and Belarussian governments as playing 
a game with oil resources.  He added that it appears that there is 
also a problem with deliveries of Russian oil at the 
Russian-Ukrainian border. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Naimski stated that the Belarussian Ambassador, in a 
meeting the Ambassador requested with office directors at the 
Ministry of Economy, stated that the official position of the 
Belarussian MFA is that deliveries of oil to Poland continue and 
that there is no supply problem.  Naimski stressed that this is 
untrue, that as of his 1300 press conference on January 8 there is 
no supply of oil at the Adamov supply point on the 
Belarussian-Ukrainian border. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Deputy Minister Naimski emphasized that he is not concerned 
about Polish energy security and the oil stoppage because Poland 
currently has 80 days of oil and fuel supply in storage.  Consumers 
should not fear price hikes or lack of supply.  He also explained 
that the Plock and Gdansk refineries have adequate storage reserves 
that will allow them to continue operating until they can contract 
to purchase additional oil for delivery to the Gdansk Naftoport if 
the dispute drags on.  The Gdansk Naftoport and the Gdansk-Plock oil 
pipeline have sufficient capacity to allow refinery operations to 
continue using spot oil purchases.  PKN Orlen and Lotos, owners of 
the Plock and Gdansk refineries, are currently negotiating spot 
contracts to ensure continued supply. 
 
¶4.  (U)  The GOP informed the European Union, the International 
Energy Agency (IEA), and the German government, as EU President, of 
the situation.  Naimski used his press conference to assert that the 
cut-off proves that the GOP should continue pursuing the 
Odessa-Brody-Gdansk oil pipeline as a way to diversify Poland's oil 
supply.  He also asked the Sejm to quickly pass pending legislation 
that is required for Poland to join the IEA - which Poland hopes to 
join this year. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Comment:  Some of the GOP's moves in the last year to 
improve Poland's energy security appear to be paying off in the 
current situation.  After last January's gas disruption, the GOP 
increased oil and gas reserves and began to seriously pursue IEA 
membership.  With 80 days of oil reserves and the oil port in 
Gdansk, the GOP can afford to sit back and watch the 
Belarussian-Russian spat play out.  Deputy Minister Naimski laid 
blame equally for the cut-off on both the Russian and Belarussian 
governments.  If the GOP continues to stay neutral in the fight, it 
will help to ensure that its companies will be able to negotiate 
spot contracts and keep the country humming. 
 
HILLAS