Brussels, 04/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The Russian pan-European gas pipeline project, South Stream, which is to run under the Black Sea to link Russia to Western Europe via Bulgaria, Italy and Austria but avoiding Ukraine - a project in which European enterprises will play a part - is not among the gas infrastructure projects financially supported by the EU as part of the European recovery plan (see related article). However, the European Commission does give its support - at least in principle - to the South Stream project which vies with the Nabucco project, the European gas pipeline project that is to link the Central Asian and Caspian region supplier countries to the Community market via Turkey, circumventing Russia, a project that the EU is initially to support with up to €200 million. “It is desirable to increase our supply security in various directions. South Stream and Nabucco are not rival projects, but complementary. Financially, we are committed to Nabucco because it has greater added value”, explained Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger speaking to the press on Thursday 4 March. Oettinger, who was on visit to Sofia to attend an energy forum, had intimated on Tuesday 2 March that “South Stream could be backed by the European Commission on condition that it meets the technical requirements for security”. He went on to specify, however, that the development of the southern gas corridor and the Nabucco project remained a priority for the EU, which is seeking a direct connection with the Caspian Sea and the Middle East. Highlighting the insufficient capacities of existing networks to cover the medium and long terms needs of Europe, Oettinger stressed on Tuesday that South Stream will operate a new distribution network and allow EU gas import capacity to be increased. Nonetheless, before this, he praised the advantages of Nabucco, which “will not only boost supply capacity but will also bring new suppliers to Europe, increase diversification and independence”. (E.H./transl.jl)