Russia wants South Stream pipepline be built

Sofia, July 8 (IANS) The South Stream gas pipeline should be built as scheduled, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said here Monday, urging the European Commission to implement a reasonable approach.

He made the statement at a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Kristian Vigenin, after holding talks for the expansion of bilateral cooperation and the construction of a Bulgarian section of South Stream gas pipeline, Xinhua reported.

"From our part, we stressed the need for its construction in the planned timeframe and confirmed our willingness to continue for this purpose the constructive dialogue with all interested parties -- as the project participants, as well as the European Commission," Lavrov said.

He said his country respected the Third Energy Package and the right of the EU and its members to impose any rules for cooperation in their territory in all areas, but in accordance with the general rules of international law, these rules can not be applied retrospectively.

In turn, Vigenin expressed the hope that the active dialogue with the European Commission will soon allow resumption the construction of South Stream on Bulgarian territory, which was suspended in early June at the insistence of Brussels.

The South Stream project, is aimed at strengthening the European energy security, is the key project in the diversification strategy for gas supply routes to the EU.