Nabucco Hopes Agreement a Step to Project Realization
Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz has announced that an agreement on the realisation of the Nabucco gas pipeline project will be signed in Turkey on June 6th.
Gabriele Egartner, spokesperson for Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH, confirmed to Trend that Project Support Agreements will be signed between Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH and the responsible ministries of the five transit countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey).
"The Nabucco Consortium can confirm that the negotiations for the Project Support Agreements are concluded and will be signed. The Nabucco Consortium sees the conclusion of these agreements as further mile stone towards the realization of the project," Egartner said.
These agreements constitute an important support of the States vis-à-vis the project in addition to the Intergovernmental Agreement.
"The Project Support Agreements set out the practical aspects and standards for the construction and for the long term operation of the pipeline in the respective countries," she said.
Nabucco is awaiting confirmation from Azerbaijan on its possible participation as a gas supplier for the pipeline project.
"If Azerbaijan's response will be negative, we'll contact with Turkmenistan, Iraq and Iran. This project has a great importance for both of us and Europe. That's why we can not lose time and we'll use all of the options," Minister Yildiz commented on Azerbaijan's possible participation in the project, as cited by the Azarbaijani APA agency.
Earlier this month the Nabucco consortium announced the postponement of the start of the project to 2013. Nabucco is now expected to start operations in 2017 instead of 2015, as previously expected.
The participants of the pipeline project are Austria's OMV, Hungary's MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkey's Botas and Germany's RWE, each holding an equal share of 16.67 percent.