RIA Novosti citing Mr Sergei Shmatko Russia Energy Minister as saying that, Russia and Greece will hold talks to work out a joint position on the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project before the end of the year.

Mr Shmatko said "We have decided to set up a working group, which will discuss a joint position on the Burgas-Alexandroupolis project at its first meeting, adding that Moscow respected the position of Bulgaria, which wanted to assess ecological risks of the project.”

In 2007, Russia, Greece and Bulgaria signed a contract on a joint construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline to bypass the busy Black Sea. The project capacity amounts to 35 million tonnes per annum with a possible expansion to 50 million tonnes.

Construction was delayed after Bulgaria formed a new cabinet headed by Mr Boyko Borisov who has made contradictory statements on energy projects with Russia including a rejection of plans to participate in the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline.

(Sourced from RIA Novosti)