SOFIA, Bulgaria, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The Bulgarian government said it was committed to forming a partnership with Russian gas company Gazprom on the South Stream natural gas pipeline.
Sofia said it was in favor of setting up a joint venture between Bulgarian Energy Holding and Gazprom for the construction of the gas pipeline through Bulgarian territory, the Sofia News Agency reports.
South Stream would branch into two sections -- one to Greece and Italy and another through Austria -- once it reaches Bulgarian territory.
Russia aims to find alternate routes to ship natural gas to European consumers. The South Stream pipeline would move 2.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to Europe after it passes through the Turkish waters of the Black Sea.
Sofia was considered a possible host for Europe's planned Nabucco pipeline. Government officials said, however, that it wouldn't sanction a loan to build a 47-mile pipeline to connect to Turkey because of the consequences for the Bulgarian economy.
The bilateral deal on South Stream becomes official when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin heads Saturday to Sofia.
The pipeline is expected to start carrying gas by 2015.
