Georgia conflict ‘a threat to strategic energy supplies’

PARIS (AFP) – Fighting in Georgia threatens a strategic energy hub, the IEA warned on Tuesday, shortly before Georgia said Russia had attacked a pipeline normally carrying up to a million barrels of oil a day westwards.

The International Energy Agency said that events in Georgia had not affected the price of oil, but stressed the significance of the region to energy supplies.


“Recent escalation in military engagement between Russia and Georgia poses a threat to certain key oil and gas pipelines which transit Georgia,” the International Energy Agency said.

Two hours after the report was published, Georgia said that Russian aircraft had attacked the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline, the second such attack since Sunday, but said it did not know if the pipe had been damaged.

AFP