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Greek Development Minister: "Greece needs the South flow gas pipeline as much as it needs the Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline"

06 May 2008 [11:20] - TODAY.AZ
Greece needs the South Flow gas pipeline as much as it needs the Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline.
The due announcement was made by Greek Development Minister Christos Folias.

On April 29 Folias and Russian Minister of Industry and Energy Viktor Khristenko in Moscow signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in creation and operation of the Greek section of the South flow gas pipeline.

The Minister noted that the gas pipelines supplement each other and Greece needs both of them.

He explained that the Turkey-Greece-Italy gas pipeline for transportation of Azerbaijani natural gas, supported by the US, considering that it will reduce Europe's dependence on Russia, will start operating in 2012 and South Flow in minimum in 2015.

Currently, Greece meets 77% of its needs by means of Russian natural and and in 2012-2013 the dependence on Russia will reduce to less than 50%, said the Minister.

He said the route of the South Flow has not been specified yet and the gas pipeline will more likely pass Greece directly to Italy under water, yet its passing Albania is not excluded.

Folias, commenting on the US resentment regarding Greece's participation in the  construction of the South Flow, explained it by the "undue information".

"There are no differences (between Washington and Athens on the said issue) or deteriorations of our relations", said Folias. "We agree with the US that we should strive for prevention of monopoly situations".

At the same time, the Minister announced that currently talks are conducted with Turkey on ensuring transit of 1 bln cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas per year by the Turkey-Greece gas pipeline.

A meeting of the Turkey-Greece-Italy gas pipeline construction member states, as well as Azerbaijan will be held in Athens for this purpose.

/PRIME-TASS/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/business/44803.html

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