Uncertain Burgas-Alexandroupolis Oil Pipeline Project to be Solidified with April 12 Signing
The proposed Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, whose fate has seemed up in the air due to Russian ambivalence, got a breath of life on April 7, when it was announced that Bulgaria, Greece and Russia will finally sign the trilateral memorandum for its construction on April 12.
Bulgaria's Regional Development Minister Valentin Tserovski, his Greek colleague Demetris Sioufas and Russia's Minister of Industry and Energy Viktor Borisovic Khristenko will ink the official document, reports Novinite.com.
"...This is a historic moment which sums up the results of the 13-year-long negotiations," attested Sioufas at a Thursday press conference in Athens, reported RIA Novosti. "This project will strengthen cooperation between the three countries and will contribute to the strategic development of the region."
The 300 km, $700 million pipeline is envisioned to pump at first 15 million tons a year, moving on to 24 million tons, with a final volume of 35 million tons a year, says Novinite.
Although its backers have long held that Burgas-Alexandroupolis is not a competitor, the backers of the AMBO (Albania-Macedonia-Bulgaria) project cannot be overjoyed at the news of this apparent new commitment to the Bulgarian-Greek venture - especially considering that they recently had reason to believe they'd seized the momentum. A few days ago, the Macedonians were reprimanded by the Greeks over the name issue, and urged to not underestimate the power of Greek diplomacy and lobbying. Is the apparent rebirth of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli project a manifestation of this reminder?
Bulgaria's Regional Development Minister Valentin Tserovski, his Greek colleague Demetris Sioufas and Russia's Minister of Industry and Energy Viktor Borisovic Khristenko will ink the official document, reports Novinite.com.
"...This is a historic moment which sums up the results of the 13-year-long negotiations," attested Sioufas at a Thursday press conference in Athens, reported RIA Novosti. "This project will strengthen cooperation between the three countries and will contribute to the strategic development of the region."
The 300 km, $700 million pipeline is envisioned to pump at first 15 million tons a year, moving on to 24 million tons, with a final volume of 35 million tons a year, says Novinite.
Although its backers have long held that Burgas-Alexandroupolis is not a competitor, the backers of the AMBO (Albania-Macedonia-Bulgaria) project cannot be overjoyed at the news of this apparent new commitment to the Bulgarian-Greek venture - especially considering that they recently had reason to believe they'd seized the momentum. A few days ago, the Macedonians were reprimanded by the Greeks over the name issue, and urged to not underestimate the power of Greek diplomacy and lobbying. Is the apparent rebirth of the Burgas-Alexandroupoli project a manifestation of this reminder?
posted by EuroPipelines Editor at 4/08/2005 02:14:00 PM
<< Home