Greek officials said Thursday the country was interested in having the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory.

Yiannis Maniatis, the Greek Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister announced that a "ramification" of the gas pipeline, which is to pass through Bulgaria and Serbia on its way to Central Europe, would make the dynamic cooperation between Gazprom and Athens "even more successful", as ITAR-TASS quoted him as saying.

Maniatis made the proposal at the 17th annual General Assembly of the European Business Congress (an international non-profit) in Athens.

The meeting was presided by Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller, who is also the current Chairman.

The Greek Minister described the Russian energy concern as a "long-term gas supplier for Greece and the whole of Europe" and pointed that dialogue between the EU and Russia is important for the bloc's energy strategy.

Greece is not the first Balkan country to state interest in being included into the South Stream pipeline project, which is expected to increase Europe's total Russian-based gas supplies by one-fifth, pumping 30 bcm yearly into the continent.

Macedonia has also insisted that a "derivation" of the pipelines be constructed to deliver gas to its territory.

In end-2000s, Greece expected to increase gas supplies from Russia after the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis gas pipeline, but had to renounce these expectations after former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right cabinet announced in 2011 it was pulling out of the

Greek officials said Thursday the country was interested in having the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory.

Yiannis Maniatis, the Greek Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister announced that a "ramification" of the gas pipeline, which is to pass through Bulgaria and Serbia on its way to Central Europe, would make the dynamic cooperation between Gazprom and Athens "even more successful", as ITAR-TASS quoted him as saying.

Maniatis made the proposal at the 17th annual General Assembly of the European Business Congress (an international non-profit) in Athens.

The meeting was presided by Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller, who is also the current Chairman.

The Greek Minister described the Russian energy concern as a "long-term gas supplier for Greece and the whole of Europe" and pointed that dialogue between the EU and Russia is important for the bloc's energy strategy.

Greece is not the first Balkan country to state interest in being included into the South Stream pipeline project, which is expected to increase Europe's total Russian-based gas supplies by one-fifth, pumping 30 bcm yearly into the continent.

Macedonia has also insisted that a "derivation" of the pipelines be constructed to deliver gas to its territory.

In end-2000s, Greece expected to increase gas supplies from Russia after the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis gas pipeline, but had to renounce these expectations after former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right cabinet announced in 2011 it was pulling out of the

Greek officials said Thursday the country was interested in having the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory.

Yiannis Maniatis, the Greek Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister announced that a "ramification" of the gas pipeline, which is to pass through Bulgaria and Serbia on its way to Central Europe, would make the dynamic cooperation between Gazprom and Athens "even more successful", as ITAR-TASS quoted him as saying.

Maniatis made the proposal at the 17th annual General Assembly of the European Business Congress (an international non-profit) in Athens.

The meeting was presided by Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller, who is also the current Chairman.

The Greek Minister described the Russian energy concern as a "long-term gas supplier for Greece and the whole of Europe" and pointed that dialogue between the EU and Russia is important for the bloc's energy strategy.

Greece is not the first Balkan country to state interest in being included into the South Stream pipeline project, which is expected to increase Europe's total Russian-based gas supplies by one-fifth, pumping 30 bcm yearly into the continent.

Macedonia has also insisted that a "derivation" of the pipelines be constructed to deliver gas to its territory.

In end-2000s, Greece expected to increase gas supplies from Russia after the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis gas pipeline, but had to renounce these expectations after former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right cabinet announced in 2011 it was pulling out of the project.

Greek officials said Thursday the country was interested in having the South Stream gas pipeline on its territory.

Yiannis Maniatis, the Greek Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister announced that a "ramification" of the gas pipeline, which is to pass through Bulgaria and Serbia on its way to Central Europe, would make the dynamic cooperation between Gazprom and Athens "even more successful", as ITAR-TASS quoted him as saying.

Maniatis made the proposal at the 17th annual General Assembly of the European Business Congress (an international non-profit) in Athens.

The meeting was presided by Gazprom's CEO Alexey Miller, who is also the current Chairman.

The Greek Minister described the Russian energy concern as a "long-term gas supplier for Greece and the whole of Europe" and pointed that dialogue between the EU and Russia is important for the bloc's energy strategy.

Greece is not the first Balkan country to state interest in being included into the South Stream pipeline project, which is expected to increase Europe's total Russian-based gas supplies by one-fifth, pumping 30 bcm yearly into the continent.

Macedonia has also insisted that a "derivation" of the pipelines be constructed to deliver gas to its territory.

In end-2000s, Greece expected to increase gas supplies from Russia after the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis gas pipeline, but had to renounce these expectations after former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's center-right cabinet announced in 2011 it was pulling out of the project.