Turkey and five European Union countries will sign a landmark agreement on Monday aimed at reducing Europe's reliance on Russian energy by running a gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea region to the EU via Turkey. The prime ministers of Turkey, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary will sign the intergovernmental deal to allow the EU- and US-backed Nabucco pipeline to cross their territory. It will be build by a private consortium, according to a report of the Associated Press. The projected pipeline would bypass both Russia and Ukraine, making Turkey an alternative energy route between Central Asia and the Middle East to Europe, potentially enhancing Turkey's hand in overcoming stiff EU resistance to letting it into the elite club of nations. Turkmenistan said Friday that it is prepared to provide natural gas to the project while Azerbaijan signaled a possible contribution, raising hopes of securing enough suppliers to make the pipeline viable. «This project can be used as a stimulant in our relations with the EU,» Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said.
