Official: Gazprom continues talks on gas pipe projects with EU

MOSCOW, Mar 24 (PRIME) -- Russian gas giant Gazprom is interested in building a new pipeline for gas supplies to Europe through the Black Sea and continues talks with foreign partners, but the success will depend on the E.U.’s position, the president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

Pipeline contracts are certainly beyond competition in terms of their reliability, Peskov said.

“That’s why the Russian side, I’m speaking about Gazprom, is continuing its work in this direction. You know that (Gazprom CEO Alexei) Miller recently visited Italy where a memorandum on project to use the Black Sea for gas supplies to Greece and then to Italy was signed,” he said.

Such projects are being studied and discussed with possible partners, but everything will depend on the European Commission’s position, he said.

“Such a name of the project as the South Stream does not exist. This project was closed after the European Commission took a corresponding position. It was not Russia who initiated the closure of this project. You know that Gazprom expressed interest and moreover was already actively implementing this project,” Peskov also said.

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