MOSCOW, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Construction on portions of the Nord Stream pipeline through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany should commence in 2009, Gazprom officials said.
Gazprom deputy chief Alexander Medvedev said that despite rival projects moving ahead on the diplomatic front, Nord Stream has the technological backing to proceed, the Kiev Post reported Wednesday.
"Unlike Nabucco, we have everything, such as gas, contracts, technological equipment and, finally, experience in building and operating gas pipelines," Medvedev said.
Europe gets about a quarter of its gas from Russia, though 80 percent of that travels through Ukraine. Russia is moving to diversify energy transport arteries through the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany and the South Stream pipeline to Italy.
Western nations, however, have put their effort behind the rival Nabucco gas pipeline, a planned 2,051-mile pipeline that would link Caspian suppliers to Europe.
The geopolitics that partially underline the field of natural resource pipelines became tense in January when Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine over gas arrears and contract disputes.
Medvedev referred to concerns over Russian aggression in the regional energy sector, saying all three projects had the same general goals.
"Gazprom is not a sports team, and it is not seeking to cross the finish line as fast as possible," he said.
