Russia won't re-open oil pipeline, Lithuania says

VILNIUS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Russia is unlikely ever to re-open its oil pipeline to Lithuania, closed in 2006 for repairs, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said on Thursday.

Russian pipeline monopoly Transneft (TRNF_p.RTS) blamed a leak for the shutdown of the Druzhba pipeline.

But Lithuania has said it is a politically motivated action after the country sold its Mazeikiu refinery to Poland's PKN Orlen PKNA.WA rather than to a Russian bidder.

"Crude supplies via the Druzhba pipeline were cut, the pipeline was being repaired for one year, but it has not been repaired," Adamkus said after a conference on energy security.

"Today we know that oil will not flow through this pipeline any more," he told a news conference.

Russian technical watchdog Rostekhnadzor said in September that Transneft would need at least another 18 months for repairs, meaning the pipeline could not reopen before the end of 2009 at the earliest.

The closure of the pipeline added to worries that Russia's is using its energy resources as a foreign policy tool. Russia has denied such criticisms.

Adamkus said in a speech to the conference that the European Union needed to speak with one voice with Russia on energy policy and wanted EU backing for a pipeline planned to take Azeri and Kazakh oil to Ukraine and up to Poland.

" ... the European Union has to seek reliable and diverse energy supplies ... with a special focus placed on those countries whose energy partnerships are based on mutual respect and non-discrimination," he said.

"Such are the countries of the Caspian and Black Sea regions," he added.