LOC19:45
16:45 GMT
BRUSSELS, Nov 22 (KUNA) -- The European Union's top energy official denied
Thursday accusations by Russian energy giant Gazprom that the EU plan to
liberalize its natural-gas market could lead to a sharp rise in prices.
"Gazprom is accusing the European Commission of increase in gas prices. The
truth is that today gas prices are indexed by the formula of the oil prices,''
EU energy
Commissioner Andris Piebalgs told reporters here this afternoon.
"If we have jump in oil prices it will come back in the gas prices. And
that is the only reason for announce of increase in gas prices. It has nothing
to do with the Commission proposal,'' he added.
Alexander Medvedev, deputy chief executive of Gazprom, in media statements
in Moscow on Tuesday said Russia and the EU will hold expert-level talks later
this month to resolve difference over EU's plan of "unbundling" -- the
separation
of transport from distribution and production.
Piebalgs made the comments during a joint press conference with Jozias van
Aarsten, Coordinator of the Nabucco gas pipeline project.
"Looking at Nabucco we are indeed making some progress.
Nabucco is a feasible project, a durable project although there are many
hurdles to overcome,'' said Van Aarsten.
The 5- billion euro and 3,300 km Nabucco pipeline is being built to link
the Caspian Sea with Europe, reducing the EUs dependence on Russian energy
supplies.(End)
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KUNA 221945 Nov 07NNNN