Pipeliners

LJUBLJANA, Feb 20, 2009 (Reuters by Marja Novak) - Slovenia and Russia have taken a step forward in talks on the planned South Stream gas pipeline, a potential supply route to Europe which could run through Slovenia, Slovenia's economy ministry said on Friday. "Most of the agreement (on running South Stream through Slovenia) is harmonised to the satisfaction of both parties," the ministry said in a statement issued after talks with Russian officials in Ljubljana on Thursday. It said two important issues were still open but gave no details. Talks will continue in the second half of March. The pipeline is a joint project of the Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM) and Italian energy group Eni (ENI.MI). It is due to be built by 2013 and will transport Russian gas from the Black Sea to south-east Europe, avoiding Ukraine, whose row with Russia left many countries in the region without gas in January.