US SPECIAL ENVOY FOR EURASIAN ENERGY ISSUES: THE NABUCCO PIPELINE WILL EVENTUALLY BE

Baku, 11 0ctober, (AzerTAj)The U.S. special envoy for Eurasian energy issues, C.
Boyden Gray, told Friday reporters in Rome that the Nabucco pipeline, which would
deliver gas from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and other Central Asian through Turkey
while bypassing Russia, will "eventually" be built.
The project, however, has been slowed by high costs and uncertainty over sources of
supply, and Russia is promoting rival routes through its territory as a cheaper and
safer alternative.
The U.S. official also said a deal may be reached soon allowing natural gas from
ex-Soviet nations to reach western Europe without crossing Russian territory.
"I think there will be an understanding for transit through Turkey for a pipeline,"
Gray said, without elaborating. "Completely firm details and shovels underground no,
but the outlines of a deal, yes."
Gray did not specify what pipeline, but appeared hint at the TGI pipeline project
linking Greek and Turkish gas networks that would allow Azerbaijan to export gas to
Italy by 2012.
He said an agreement on a pipeline could be completed in as soon as six months.
U.S. officials have supported TGI as a way of easing Russian energy dominance in
Europe.

-0-