V. Putin Assures Gas Supply to Europe

Russia is ready to lay a new pipeline to Europe across the Balkans, said Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit to Hungary. The Russian government would make big investments in the project so as to assure reliable gas supplies, he added.

"No one in Europe should have any doubts about Russia continuing to supply gas", said the Russian leader at a press conference after meeting with Hungarian prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in Budapest. "Even at the most difficult times Russia did not interrupt gas supplies... We did all we could to assure reliable gas supplies", said V. Putin.

The growing demand for Russian gas in Europe has dictated the necessity to build two new pipelines – one across the Baltic Sea (the Northern European Gas Pipeline) and the other across the Balkans, said V. Putin. He proposed to extend the "Blue Stream" pipeline that connects Russia with Turkey across the Black Sea bottom, up to Central Europe.

The Hungarian prime minister disclosed that the two sides agreed to initiate a program to work out details of the pipeline to supply gas to Hungary from the south. "Its distribution center will be located in Hungary", noted Ferenc Gyurcsany.