Brussels, 01/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs welcomed the agreement signed on Wednesday between the Greek minister for development, Dimitris Sioufas, and his Italian counterpart Pierluigi Bersani for the construction of a gas inter-connector between Greece and Italy. He welcomed the fact that “this infrastructure will contribute to the European efforts to diversify both the geographical origin of our energy and the supply routes”. By way of an underwater pipeline of 220 km between the west coast of Greece and southern Italy, this inter-connector will allow for gas to be channelled from the Caspian Sea. The inter-connector between Greece and Turkey is expected to be up and running later this year. Construction work will begin in 2008; the inter-connector between Greece and Italy should be operational by 2011. (eh)