Une cérémonie de signature à Ankara pour Nabucco[en] 

The Nabucco pipeline project, expected to come onstream in 2014, aims to decrease the EU's dependence on Russian imports by bringing Caspian gas to a hub in Austria via the Balkans. 

Azerbaijan is seen as the project's most likely first gas supplier, while in future, it would also bring supplies from the Middle East. Supplies from Iraq are currently being considered, while in future Iran could also become an important supplier. 

The gas would be shipped to Europe via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. Construction of Nabucco will begin in 2011 (EurActiv 08/04/09), as the recent gas crisis between Russia and Ukraine has convinced decision-makers of the need to speed up the project. 

Meanwhile, Russia is stepping up efforts to start implementing its rival 'South Stream' project (EurActiv 25/05/09). The country's Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko recently announced that South Stream would more than double its planned capacity from 31 billion cubic metres per year (bcm/y) to 63bcm. 

The Nabucco consortium comprises leading European energy companies: OMV of Austria, MOL of Hungary, RWE of Germany, Bulgargaz of Bulgaria, Transgaz of Romania and Botas of Turkey. But three consortium members - OMV, MOL and Bulgargaz - have already signed up to Gazprom's South Stream pipeline, raising questions about conflicts of interest, or indeed their commitment to Nabucco. 

Several EU governments, including Germany, France and Italy, which have close ties with the Kremlin as well as long-term gas contracts with Gazprom, are not convinced of the need for the new pipeline. Italy's ENI is Gazprom's main partner in 'South Stream'. 

Turkey has used the Nabucco project as a bargaining chip with the EU. Also, Ankara seeks to use 15% of all natural gas flowing through the pipe as part of the deal for letting it pass through Turkish territory (EurActiv 29/05/09). 

Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria - the pipeline's five transit countries – have agreed to sign the accord, the Commission announced on Friday (3 July). However, it is not yet clear who will take part in the ceremony. Turkish diplomatic sources reportedly said there would be presidents, prime ministers and ministers among the participants. 

"I am delighted that the signature of the Nabucco Intergovernmental Agreement will go ahead on 13 July in Ankara," Commission President José Manuel Barroso said in a written statement. He added that the Commission had played a crucial role by acting as a facilitator "to turn the long-standing talks into a concrete agreement". 

The breakthrough became possible after an agreement was apparently found with Turkey, which wants to use 15% of the transited gas for its own internal consumption. However, the details of the agreement are not yet known and need to be fine-tuned, sources said. 

Romania's Economy Minister Adriean Videanu told Reuters that the 15% issue was resolved, but he too was not aware of the details. 

Joschka Fischer appointed as consultant 

The Nabucco consortium has contracted former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer as a senior consultant for the project. 

According to Spiegel, Fischer joined the project primarily to ensure that Turkey remains on board, as he is known to have excellent relations with the country. 

The German press writes that ironically, Fischer's new position puts him on the other side of the fence from his former boss, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Just weeks after losing his chancellor job to Angela Merkel in the 2005 elections, Schröder took a position as chairman of the board of Nord Stream, a Gazprom pipeline project designed to bring gas beneath the Baltic Sea from Russia to the northern German coast. 

For his part, Fischer will be in charge of a pipeline loathed by Gazprom. 

Against the winds 

Turkey reiterated its support for Nabucco two days after Moscow offered Ankara the chance to "play a role" in the rival South Stream project. It is however unclear what role Turkey can play in a project which bypasses Turkish territory, as its pipe runs under the Black Sea, from the Russian port of Beregovaya to the Bulgarian city of Varna. 

A recent move by Russia to buy gas from Azerbaijan is also seen as a blow to Nabucco. On 29 June, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev signed a deal in Baku to restart the flow of Azerbaijani gas to Russia from January 2010. 

Under current plans, Nabucco would be fed with an initial eight billion cubic metres of gas annually from Azerbaijan, an amount that should increase to 31 bcm as new suppliers join up. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is already producing 27 bcm annually and expects that figure to reach 30 bcm in 2009. 

Meanwhile, Russia appears to be paying a "political price" for Azeri gas. The gas price agreed with Azerbaijan is higher than the $300 per 1,000 cm that Russia offered Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan earlier in the year, the Russian press reported.