Chepurin: Balkan countries to decide on gas supply

BELGRADE - The Balkan countries should decide in the next few months on the manner in which to maintain the gas supply once the agreement on transport of Russian gas via Ukraine expires in four years, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandar Chepurin said on Monday.

Gazprom has took up a firm position that once the agreement on gas transportation through the territory of Ukraine expired in four years, the gas will no longer be transported to Europe that way, Chepurin noted at the scientific conference entitled "Russian energy projects in the Balkans after South Stream".

The new line, along with Nord Stream, will stretch through the territory of Turkey, and its final destination will be on the Greek-Turkish border, Chepurin underlined in his opening address at the conference held in Belgrade Business School.

According to the preliminary agreement, four pipelines are to be built, and the first one is planned to be finished in 2016.

Gas will be transported through the southern leg via Turkey to the border with Greece, and then we will negotiate with the European Union, he explained.

Now the countries, including those in the Balkans, should decide on the manner in which they will ensure further supply, Chepurin said, adding that the decision on how to deliver gas to the final consumer should be made within a period of six months to one year.

He pointed out that it is important to determine three things - reliable delivery, necessary quantities for the region and reasonable prices.

Chepurin warned that today's situation in the geopolitical sense is by no means easy and that after the suspension of the South Stream gas pipeline project, whose construction was not possible, everyone should determine their own...