site.btaBulgaria, US Discuss Energy Cooperation, Rally Behind Safeguarding Energy Security in Region

Sofia, July 12 (BTA) - Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova conferred here on Wednesday with Mary Warlick, Acting Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs at the US Department of State, the Government Information Service said.

The sides considered progress on the Bulgaria-Greece gas interconnector and forthcoming work on the project and the European position regarding North Stream II, the options for nuclear fuel diversification and the Belene N-plant project.

Warlick presented the US government's commitments to European energy policy, intended to further the implementation of projects for diversification of energy sources and supply routes.

The participants in the meeting rallied behind future Bulgarian-US energy cooperation seeking to safeguard energy security in Southeastern Europe.

Warlick also conferred with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, Zaharieva's Ministry said in a press release.

"The efforts that Bulgaria is making to build an infrastructure connecting its gas transmission network to its neighbours' networks are immensely important for the diversification of energy supply to all Southeastern Europe," the Foreign Minister stressed, adding that the interconnector with Greece will make it possible to link the North-South Gas Corridor with the Southern Gas Corridor. This would also allow the delivery of over 1,000 million cu m of gas from Azerbaijan, after the Trans Adriatic Pipeline goes into operation in 2020. Work on the interconnector can start as early as this coming autumn, Zaharieva said.

The two also talked about other projects of strategic importance for Bulgaria, such as the interconnectors with Turkey, Serbia and Romania.

During the meeting, the Deputy PM and the Acting Special Envoy discussed the traditionally good bilateral relations between Bulgaria and the US and the multilateral partnerships and expressed their conviction that they will continue their advancement.