mandatory congressional bill on US defense policy for 2020 will be supplemented by a provision on sanctions against companies involved in the project of the pipeline "Nord stream-2", Chairman of the foreign relations Committee of the Senate Jim Risch on the sidelines Halifaxa international security forum.
the Inclusion of sanctions in the bill is a good initiative, but lawmakers of the house of representatives and the Senate have not yet reached a final agreement on a major bill.
"the reason for the push is that it closes the window. Most of the "Northern stream" already done," said Risch, adding that, in his opinion, the sanctions will convince the construction companies involved in the project, to stop work on the project.
"It will cost them dearly. I think that if these sanctions pass, the company will be closed, and I think the Russians will have to find another way to do it, if they can do it at all," said Rish.
the text of the provisions on sanctions have not been released, however, according to the Senator, he is close to the act "On protection of energy safety of Europe", which was previously represented by Republican Ted Cruz.
Senate Committee on foreign Affairs approved it in late July. This document proposes to introduce restrictive measures against foreign companies who provide their specialized vessels for pipe-laying "North potka 2" in the Baltic sea. Sanctions will be imposed if the vessel lays pipes at a depth of 100 feet (about 30.5 meters) below sea level. In addition, the authors of the bill proposed to freeze the assets of these persons under the jurisdiction of the United States, and to penalize entities that provide insurance for the object.
November 21, Ted Cruz said that US sanctions can delay the introduction of the "Nord stream-2" in operation for more than a year. If Congress or the White house will impose restrictive measures against the involved construction companies, the project, according to Cruz, will cease to exist because Russia does not have its own technology of laying a gas pipeline along the bottom of the sea.
