ROME, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Many of the planned natural gas pipelines for Europe aren't compatible with one another, said Italian Industry Minister Paolo Romani.
Europe aims to break the Russian grip on its energy sector through a series of pipeline networks that include the Interconnection Turkey-Greece-Italy project and Nabucco. Russia, meanwhile, is courting its European allies for the South Stream project, which is considered a rival to Nabucco.
Romani was quoted by Bloomberg News as saying, however, that the projects aren't much different from each other.
"Nabucco, South Stream and ITGI are incompatible, given European financing and Europe, through an accord among the large nations, has to find a definitive accord," he said.
Russia is making plans with its partners for South Stream construction. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso described a Jan. 14 declaration on gas delivery with Azerbaijan as a "major breakthrough" for European energy security and projects in the Southern Corridor.
Romani, however, said European leaders needed better clarity in their energy strategy.
"Sooner or later Europe will have to face the problem either by making a choice or by making the three gas pipelines compatible," he said.
