Four European Union countries and Turkey have signed an agreement to build a pipeline that will take gas from the Caspian and Middle East to Europe.
The 3,300km Nabucco pipeline will bring up to 31 billion cubic metres of gas a year the region and offers an alternative energy supply to Russia, which provides 30 per cent of Europe's gas needs.
Speaking today Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey wanted Iranian gas to be transported to Europe via the planned pipeline “when conditions allow”, despite US opposition.
European Union governments and Turkey were to sign transit agreements in Ankara later on Monday for the EU and US-backed Nabucco pipeline, which aims to reduce Europe's energy dependence on Russia by transporting gas from the Caspian and Middle East through the planned pipeline from 2014.
“We desire Iranian gas to be included in Nabucco when conditions allow,” Mr Erdogan told a gathering of abucco partner countries and regional countries including Iraq and Georgia.
US special energy envoy Richard Morningstar yesterday reiterated Washington's opposition to possible use of Iranian gas in Nabucco until Washington normalises relations with Tehran. The two are at odds over Iran's nuclear programme.
Transit countries Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria signed the accord earlier today after years of delay, giving the €7.9 billion project a major political boost. But questions over supply and financing still plague its feasibility and as progress of a rival Russian plan edges ahead.
No concrete supply deals have yet been signed for Nabucco.
The Nabucco Consortium has mentioned Egypt, Azerbaijan and possibly Russia and Turkmenistan as sources for gas.
Azerbaijan's Industry and Oil Minister Natik Aliyev told the gathering that Azerbaijan was interested in Nabucco and that the gas-rich Caspian country wanted diversification of its energy export routes.
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Europe could receive 15 billion cubic metres of Iraqi gas via Turkey, but it was not immediately clear if he was referring to Nabucco.
Reuters