Azerbaijan, Baku, July 5 /Trend, A.Akhundov/
To present the Nabucco project without Azerbaijan is impossible, since the Republic is in the main part of the pipeline, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of Germany Shteffel Margaret told Trend on Tuesday.
"Azerbaijan is a very important partner of the European Union and Germany. Although Azerbaijan has not the potential to fill the Nabucco gas pipeline alone, but to present this project without Azerbaijan is impossible, since Azerbaijan is a major part of it," said Shteffel.
She said Germany, as well as the European Union give preference to the South Corridor project.
"The advantage of Nabucco before other projects is a direct access of Europe to gas reserves.
There are many good options, but Nabucco is an advantage," said Shteffel.
The construction of Nabucco gas pipeline is scheduled for 2013 and first deliveries are expected in 2017. Participants of the project are Austrian OMV, Hungarian MOL, Bulgarian Bulgargaz, Romanian Transgaz, Turkish Botas and German RWE companies.
The Southern Corridor is a priority EU energy project which will diversify energy supply routes and sources, and increase EU energy security. The Southern Corridor includes the Nabucco gas pipeline, Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), White Stream, and ITGI (Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline).