NABUCCO and BTC bypassing Russia

The USA has no economic interest in the NABUCCO project or the BTC oil pipeline, Zeino Baran, Director of the Eurasian Political Center of Hudson University, said in Budapest on October 28. She maintained that Washington’s interest in both of these projects was purely political.

Baran thinks that the EU should help ensure that the countries which participate in the NABUCCO project are not threatened by Russia. The NABUCCO pipeline will pass through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. Of course NABUCCO cannot avoid travelling through both Azerbaijan and Georgia as it will be transporting natural gas from central Asia and the Caucasus region to Europe, avoiding Russia and thus offering an alternative energy route to Europe which will make the EU less dependent on the Russian Federation.

NABUCCO construction should start in 2009 and finish in 2013 and will cost approximately EURO 5 billion. Russia for its part is suggesting establishing a Caspian project of its own, based on the northern shore.