Pipeliners

Dec. 23, 2008 - UPI - PARIS, A delegation from Russian energy monopoly Gazprom visited French officials to discuss energy cooperation, including the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Gazprom chief Alexei Miller met with his counterparts at French energy firm GDF Suez to discuss interactions in the world market and securing European energy resources, Gazprom said in a statement. GDF Suez said it viewed the Nord Stream pipeline through the Black Sea to Europe as a significant project to bring energy security to European markets. The French firm said it was interested in joining the project as a minority partner. Gazprom said last week it may court foreign investors to help fund major projects, including Nord Stream. Nord Stream is seen as a rival project to the Western-backed Nabucco pipeline to bring resources from Caspian states to Europe through Turkey, bypassing Russia completely. Miller took the opportunity to address European concerns over a row with Ukraine that could threaten winter gas supplies, saying Gazprom was working toward a resolution. "Gazprom will fulfill its contractual obligations to the European consumers and will endeavor to make Ukraine fulfill its international obligations on transit," he said.