Gazprom refuses to participate in NABUCCO

Russia’s Gazprom has declined the offer to participate in the NABUCCO project. Aleksander Medvedev, its Deputy Chairman, has stated that their priority is the so-called Southern Stream.

Medvedev said that the purpose of NABUCCO was to transit gas avoiding Russia. “We don’t have anything against the project, but Southern Stream is our priority. We have gas, we have a market, we have experience and all the facilities and possibilities needed to fulfil such complex projects,” stated Medvedev.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that Russia has nothing against Azeri participation in the NABUCCO project, and this participation would not influence the Moscow and Baku relationship. According to Lavrov, when choosing routes for the transportation of oil and gas the major criteria should be economic effectiveness, reliability and energy security. “We are against the extra politicization of such processes,” said Lavrov.