Nabucco on schedule, officials say

VIENNA, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The conflict between Russia and Georgia will not delay the scheduled launch date of the Nabucco gas pipeline from Turkey to Central Europe, officials said.

Christian Dolezal with the Austrian OMV energy firm, a shareholder in the Nabucco pipeline consortium, told Trend Capital News Tuesday all parties had expressed their firm commitment to the project.

"The time frame and cost of realization of the project will also remain unchanged. First gas deliveries are expected in 2013," he said.

Analysts expect energy security and the goals of diversifying the European natural resource sector will face several obstacles in the face of Russian activity in the region.

The conflict in Georgia over the republic of South Ossetia briefly interrupted several pipeline arteries in the region.

Meanwhile, Zsolt Hernadi with the Hungarian energy firm MOL said Nabucco needs gas from Iran if the project moves forward, the Iranian Press TV said.

"Nabucco becomes reality if we can get Iranian gas," Hernadi said.

Iranian Oil Minister Gholamhossein Nozari noted earlier he was confident the project could be realized with gas supplies from the Islamic Republic.

"Everybody has recognized that the Nabucco project cannot work without Iran: A country with 16 percent of the world's gas reserves cannot be ignored," he said

Though the Nabucco pipeline is favored by many Western nations, U.S. officials have expressed their displeasure at the use of Iranian gas as a supply source.