Warsaw, Prague want common gas market in Central Europe

(WARSAW) - The prime ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic on Monday called for a common gas market in Central Europe that would span from the Baltic sea to the Adriatic.

"Our countries are interested by the possibility of a new diversification of sources and means of energy transmission," Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas told reporters after meeting with his Polish counterpart in Warsaw.

"We want to create a roadmap as soon as possible towards a common gas market of the Visegrad group" consisting of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary," Polish premier Donald Tusk added.

The project could also involve Austria and Croatia, "which would give it a Baltic-Adriatic dimension", according to Tusk.

He said he hoped the roadmap would be inked on June 16 during a summit of the four ex-communist 2004 EU entrants in Warsaw.

"We want to make the most of opportunities offered by Poland's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal" in Swinoujscie on the Baltic sea, Tusk said.

In February, Poland said it would invest 1.1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) starting next year in a gas pipeline network linking the LNG terminal to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine.

The terminal is to come online in June of 2014 with an annual capacity of 7.5 billion cubic metres of gas.

The move is seen as key to boosting energy security in Central Europe by easing the region's dependence on natural gas pumped in from Soviet-era master Russia.

Next year Poland's gas transmission monopoly Gaz-System also expects to finish building 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) of pipelines linking the LNG terminal to Czech and German transmission systems.

The five-year project costs a total 1.95 billion euros.