'Iran-Germany ties entering new chapter, especially in gas sector'
Tehran Times - 22 February, 2009
www.gulfinthemedia.com/index.php?id=458295&news_type=Economy&lang=en

The Iranian ambassador to Berlin says that Iran-Germany relations have
entered a "new chapter" and there is a good chance that Iran will soon begin
gas exports to European Union countries.

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who is now the chairman of a
Russian-led gas consortium, has emphasized that the European Union has a
great need for natural gas, Ambassador Alireza Sheikh Attar told the Mehr
News Agency on Friday.

Therefore it is necessary to have another important gas-producing partner
like Iran, and this will not hurt Russian markets, he quoted Schroeder as
saying.

Sheikh Attar stated that Schroeder, who arrived in Tehran on Thursday, is
scheduled to meet Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari to discuss
Iranian gas exports to the European Union.

The Iranian envoy to Berlin also said that he intends "to establish a
connection between the Iranian Oil Ministry and its subsidiaries and German
oil companies."

Germany has a high demand for natural gas and is currently supplied by
Russia and North Sea gas producers, he pointed out.

However, with North Sea gas production "declining day by day" and the high
risk of Germany's dependence on Russian gas, Berlin is looking for
alternative suppliers, he added.

Thus, Iran can help Germany in this area, Sheikh Attar noted.

He also stated that Iran would be happy to see Germany play a positive role
in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, although German officials have still
not met their commitments.

For instance, Germany has not been very successful in its training of the
Afghan police and now the police forces in Afghanistan are "weaker" than
Taliban fighters, he added.