Serbia patient with South Stream

BELGRADE, Serbia, June 12 (UPI) -- Serbia would work on developing alternative fuel sources over the next few years while details on the South Stream gas pipeline progress, officials say.

Serbian Energy Minister Petar Skundric said his country would work on gasification projects as plans for South Stream develop but welcomed the advantages from the future pipeline, Serbian broadcaster B92 reports.

"As soon as the South Stream project is complete, Serbia will take full advantage of these resources, and hopefully, not just for household use, but much more for the needs of industry," he said.

Skundric spoke during the signing ceremony for municipal gasification projects with Jugorosgas, a Gazprom subsidiary distributing Russian gas.

Officials from Russian gas monopoly Gazprom signed a series of bilateral agreements at a May energy summit in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi on the proposed pipeline.

Gazprom and its Serbian counterpart, Srbijagas, agreed on the terms of a joint venture for export design, construction and operational components of the project.

South Stream is a Russian-backed project to bring gas to southeastern Europe. Speaking at a recent energy summit in Italy, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller said the project was proceeding according to plans.