国际英语新闻：EU needs more energy cooperation, less Russia-bashing say energy experts

Schneider believes the lesson of the gas crisis in early 2009 was that the impact was relatively small. He said:"The Bulgarians might disagree, but on the whole central Europe managed quite well. It wasn't a complete breakdown of society, we came out more self- confident. All the more reason to concentrate on increasing solidarity between countries and improve interconnections. Suppliers in Russia and elsewhere are unlikely to say they don't want to sell to this market which pays the highest price in the world."

Miklos Hegedus of GKI Energy Research and Consulting cautioned against fear of Russia. He said,"Building energy policy on the basis of Russophobia is not a wise policy. Our region should develop a strategy of friendship and cooperation with Russia and the Arab suppliers."

Rather than turning away from Russian gas, the challenge for the EU is to have a more competitive market, according to Laszlo Varro of Hungarian energy giant MOL. He said: "It is less a security issue for the EU and more a case of over-exposure to a dominant market power. Instead of Gazprom having a sphere of influence which covers most of Europe, we need more competition."

As well as promoting common policies on energy and climate change during its upcoming presidency, Hungary has said it wants to accelerate EU accession negotiations with Croatia and the Western Balkans, strengthen the Eastern Partnership with countries to the east of the EU such as Ukraine and Belarus, promote minority rights and develop a Danube Strategy to boost development of Europe's second largest river.

The country holding the presidency is obliged to chair all council meetings, promote legal and political decisions, as well as brokering compromises. From July 2011, Poland, Denmark and Cyprus will hold the next 18-month long 'trio' of EU presidencies.