Batumi News
April 8 2004

Baku – Tbilisi – Erzerum gas pipelne to be ended by 2005

Construction of the Baku – Tbilisi – Erzerum gas pipeline, is
expected to be ended by the late 2005. The project may be expanded
with Iran – Armenian gas pipeline, which will cross Georgian
territory.

The pipeline cross Turkey and Greece on one direction and Georgian
and Ukraine on another. Experts of the European Commission assess, of
the two variants of the projects, the route of Iran – Armenia –
Georgia – Ukraine – Europe is more profitable. Both Russia and
Ukraine are interested in this project, Boris Aleshin, Russian Deputy
Prime Minister said.

The pipeline project with Georgia’s scheme will cost 5 billion USD,
with the capacity of 60 billion cb. The 550 km. stretch of the
pipeline, from Georgian Supsa harbor to the Crimea harbor Pheodosia,
will be built in the Black Sea.