NATOs executives ready to use warships to ensure security of offshore oil&gas transportation routes from Western Africa, reportedly said Jap de Hoop Scheffer, NATOs Secretary General, speaking at the session of foreign committee of PACE. NATOs Secretary General declined PACE members offer on using alliances forces to ensure security for foreign oil companies operating in Nigeria.
Trend reports, Scheffer also refutes the information on connection between NATOs wide-scale maneuvers scheduled to June and ensuring security of routes of oil&gas delivery to Western Europe. Scheffer said the primary objective of these maneuvers is to check fast response forces of the alliance. However, NATOs secretary said, these maneuvers do not imply NATOs turning into a "worlds policeman", Associated Press writes.
On April 30 General James Jones, commander-in-chief of NATO in Europe, reportedly said NATO was going to draw up the plan for ensuring security of oil&gas industry facilities. In this respect the block is willing to ensure security in unstable regions where oil and gas are produced and transported.
In particular, NATOs executives are willing to control air and water space in production areas and along transportation routes, and raise the exchange of investigation information among involved parties, RusEnergy reports.