Former German chancellor: Nabucco pipeline will be promising if it is filled with Iranian gas

"For Nabucco to be well positioned, it should be filled with gas from Iran," Gerhard Schroeder told the Fourth Eurasian Energy Forum KazEnergy 2009.

"I favor the implementation of the Nabucco pipeline because we need extra gas imports to Europe, but there is one thing we have to remember - we have enough natural gas to fill the Nord and South Stream project, but not for Nabucco," said the German official, who now sits on the board of the operator of the Russian-led Nord Stream gas pipeline project.

Schroeder reiterated that neither Nord Stream nor South Stream, another natural gas pipeline planned by Russia, which will deliver gas to Europe under the Black Sea, were rivals to Nabucco.

Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Iraq are among the potential gas suppliers for Nabucco. The United States has been opposing Iran's involvement in the project while supporting the idea of Iraqi gas supplies to Europe.

Schroeder urged the European Union to overcome political opposition to Iran, already under international sanctions over its nuclear program, as a gas supplier.

"It [the EU] will need strength to settle political differences on the issue of sanctions against Iran and energy supplies from the country," Schroeder said.

/Trend News/