CHRYSSA LIAGGOU

Greece is scheduled to sign a new bilateral agreement with Bulgaria today in the context of the energy summit on the security of Europe’s natural gas supply.

Headed by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis, the Greek delegation will agree a series of energy cooperation matters with the neighboring country and in particular the construction of a natural gas pipeline linking Komotini in northeastern Greece with Haskovo in Bulgaria, the new power link between the two states and the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, said Hatzidakis.

As for the latter, Hatzidakis stressed the increased interest of the Russian side in speeding up procedures for the construction of the oil pipeline.

He added that the special ministerial commission in Greece convened for the first time yesterday in order to coordinate the activity of all the ministries involved in the project’s realization.

The aim, said Hatzidakis, is for the bill concerning the land to be used to be tabled in Parliament by June, as well as the agreement on the actual conveyance of the commodity.

Today’s summit in Sofia will involve delegations from 28 countries from Southeastern Europe, the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea as well as Central Asia, the European Union, the US, Russia, Qatar and Egypt.