Brussels, 19/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - In response to allegations in the press of a possible withdrawal by RWE from the Nabucco project, following an interview to the Wall Street Journal Deutschland by its CEO, Jürgen Grossman, the German energy company provided an immediate response on the very same day, 17 January. In a press release, RWE provided assurances that it would maintain its projects in the Caspian region. It explained: “The fundamental approach of RWE to Nabucco remains unchanged: RWE aims at securing access to the Caspian gas resources for Europe and this is the basis for its plans to participate in the Nabucco development project. This interest persists”. However, the energy company added that “it is clear that RWE is only going to contribute in building a pipeline if there is enough gas to fill it and if the project is economically viable. Binding gas contracts with the gas delivery countries are a precondition for the construction of any pipeline from Europe to the Caucasus.” RWE explained that the Shah Deniz II consortium in Azerbaijan had still not decided on its partner, a choice that should have been made by the end of 2011. RWE also explains that the joint commitment made at the end of 2011 by Azerbaijan and Turkey to build an alternative gas pipeline at the Turkish section of Nabucco, from Azerbaijan to the Turkish-Bulgarian border, the Transanatolien (TANAP) pipeline, had created “a new situation, without implying that RWE will withdraw from the Nabucco project”. (EH/transl.fl)