Next year crucial for Nabucco, Joschka Fischer says
The coming year is "decisive" for the European
Union's Nabucco gas pipeline project, former German foreign
minister Joschka Fischer was quoted as saying Monday in the
Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Fischer said he expects the
ratification of agreements, which is necessary for the
construction, in 2010, German news agency DPA reported.
His statements came the same day Bulgaria's foreign minister, Rumjana Zheleva, said Sofia would give priority to the Nabucco project over Moscow's South Stream project.
Fischer, however, downplayed the rivalry between Nabucco and South Stream, saying that Europe is growing and needs more gas. Yet he also said recent problems with the supply of Russian gas cannot be disregarded, local media reported.
"So far, there have been many who questioned the project. But with Turkey’s signing up for the project in July, the train left its station," said Fischer.
According to him, there is enough gas to implement the project. "Supplies will come from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and northern Iraq."
Now an adviser for partners in the Nabucco consortium, the German and Austrian energy giants RWE and OMV, Fischer arrived in Sofia to discuss the project with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and other officials, DPA said.
Bulgaria, in which the pipeline from Caspian gas fields is to enter the EU, holds a 16.5 per cent stake in the 11-billion-dollar project. Nabucco is the EU’s attempt to reduce its dependency on Russian gas.
Early this year, a row between Russia and Ukraine halted the delivery of gas at the peak of the winter cold, stalling industries and leaving many homes in Europe without heating.
Bulgaria, almost entirely dependent on Russian gas, was particularly hard hit by the crisis last winter.
Neither Nabucco, planned for completion in 2014, nor the South Stream, which is to provide a European route for Russian gas via the Balkans, has moved into the construction phase.
The Nabucco pipeline is planned across Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria, its construction executed by a consortium of firms from EU nations - Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - as well as Turkey.
The South Stream, pushed by Russian gas giant Gazprom, but also involving EU companies, is envisaged entering Bulgaria through the Black Sea, before branching off west and northwest.
Bulgaria's conservative Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who took over after elections in July, had said earlier that Bulgaria would remain partnered with Russia in pipeline projects.
Meanwhile, Christian Dolezal, the spokesman for Nabucco Gas Pipeline International, dismissed circulating reports about Iran’s possible joining the project. He told Austrian Press Agency that the consortium was not holding talks on the issue and realization of the project was not dependent on Iranian gas. Dolezal added that the Nabucco shareholders were chiefly seeking deliveries from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq.
The RWE and OMV companies have also told the Austrian news agency that no talks were underway with Tehran on either its representation in the project or supplying gas.
Iranian media have reported that a manager of a local energy giant had discussed the possibility of the country’s joining Nabucco at an informal meeting with European energy executives last weekend.*
His statements came the same day Bulgaria's foreign minister, Rumjana Zheleva, said Sofia would give priority to the Nabucco project over Moscow's South Stream project.
Fischer, however, downplayed the rivalry between Nabucco and South Stream, saying that Europe is growing and needs more gas. Yet he also said recent problems with the supply of Russian gas cannot be disregarded, local media reported.
"So far, there have been many who questioned the project. But with Turkey’s signing up for the project in July, the train left its station," said Fischer.
According to him, there is enough gas to implement the project. "Supplies will come from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and northern Iraq."
Now an adviser for partners in the Nabucco consortium, the German and Austrian energy giants RWE and OMV, Fischer arrived in Sofia to discuss the project with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and other officials, DPA said.
Bulgaria, in which the pipeline from Caspian gas fields is to enter the EU, holds a 16.5 per cent stake in the 11-billion-dollar project. Nabucco is the EU’s attempt to reduce its dependency on Russian gas.
Early this year, a row between Russia and Ukraine halted the delivery of gas at the peak of the winter cold, stalling industries and leaving many homes in Europe without heating.
Bulgaria, almost entirely dependent on Russian gas, was particularly hard hit by the crisis last winter.
Neither Nabucco, planned for completion in 2014, nor the South Stream, which is to provide a European route for Russian gas via the Balkans, has moved into the construction phase.
The Nabucco pipeline is planned across Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria, its construction executed by a consortium of firms from EU nations - Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - as well as Turkey.
The South Stream, pushed by Russian gas giant Gazprom, but also involving EU companies, is envisaged entering Bulgaria through the Black Sea, before branching off west and northwest.
Bulgaria's conservative Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who took over after elections in July, had said earlier that Bulgaria would remain partnered with Russia in pipeline projects.
Meanwhile, Christian Dolezal, the spokesman for Nabucco Gas Pipeline International, dismissed circulating reports about Iran’s possible joining the project. He told Austrian Press Agency that the consortium was not holding talks on the issue and realization of the project was not dependent on Iranian gas. Dolezal added that the Nabucco shareholders were chiefly seeking deliveries from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq.
The RWE and OMV companies have also told the Austrian news agency that no talks were underway with Tehran on either its representation in the project or supplying gas.
Iranian media have reported that a manager of a local energy giant had discussed the possibility of the country’s joining Nabucco at an informal meeting with European energy executives last weekend.*
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