Nabucco without Iran- empty pipeline: Iranian FM

NEWS.am
12:25 / 12/09/2009

Implementation of Nabucco project is impossible without Iran. December
8, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki stated at the joint
Iranian -UAE economic commission session, Fars news agency reports.
`Speaking about the Nabucco pipeline without Iran’s participation
would amount to nothing but a pipeline void of gas,,’ said Iranian
Minister, adding if anyone wants and has money let them build void
pipeline without Iran.

Commenting on the statement by U.S. Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy
Richard Morningstar that `Iran is not in a position to become a part
of any new projects in the Southern Corridor’, Mottaki told Fars news
agency, `We have never heard that Europeans have entrusted the
Americans with their authority to decide on the pipeline.’ Iranian
Foreign Minister recalled that country sits on largest world’s natural
gas reserves and takes the second place after Russia.

To date, Azerbaijan was considered a gas supplier to Nabucco, however
its gas reserve is too small for the project. The Nabucco project is
estimated at 7.9 bn and is planned to lessen European dependence on
Russian gas. The supply volume is expected to reach 31 bcm annually.
U.S. indicates possibility of Iraq’s involvement in the project.
However, the first objective is to provide gas supply from Central
Asia, the initiative that Russia and China are opposing.

A.G.