Reuters reported that Romania is in advanced talks with Asian states to secure supplies for a planned natural gas pipeline designed to reduce Europe energy dependence on Russia by transporting gas from the Caspian and Middle East from 2014.

Mr Tudor Serban Deputy Economy Minister of Romania said "We are in advanced talks with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to import gas for the Nabucco pipeline. He would not elaborate.”

Nabucco shareholders are Hungary MOL, Romania Transgaz, Bulgaria Bulgargaz, Turkey's Botas, Germany RWE and Austria's OMV.

The pipeline is seen pumping as much as 31 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, but its construction has been questioned already because of limited supplies and infrastructure.

(Sourced from Reuters)