ZAGREB, June 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is willing to do everything possible to assist the Balkan states in resolving energy problems, the Russian president said Sunday.
Vladimir Putin, who arrived in Zagreb to attend the Balkan energy summit in the Croatian capital as a special guest, is meeting with 10 heads of state from the Balkan region - Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia.
"Russia, as a global leader in oil and natural gas production is ready to do everything possible to resolve energy problems in the [Balkan] region," Putin said at the summit.
The president said that Russia would continue talks on natural gas supplies through the Balkans and the construction of underground gas storage facilities in several Balkan states.
"We are also interested in expanding gas supply network to reach Macedonia, Albania, southern Serbia and Kosovo," Putin said.
He said that Russian companies participating in joint energy projects in the Balkans would maintain the highest ecology standards, in an apparent reference to an agreement on the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline signed between Russia, Bulgaria and Greece in March 2007.
The 280-kilometer (175-mile) pipeline will pump 35 million metric tons of oil a year (257.25 million bbl), a volume that could eventually be increased to 50 million metric tons (367.5 million bbl). Earlier reports said the pipeline could be commissioned in late 2010 or early 2011.
The Russian leader also said the new South Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Europe on the floor of the Black Sea would be beneficial for Europe.
Russia and Italy signed Saturday a memorandum on the construction of a new natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe across the Black Sea.
The memorandum was signed in Rome by representatives of Russian energy giant Gazprom and Italy's ENI in the presence of Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko and Italian Economic Development Minister Pierluigi Bersani.
The pipeline, which will be called South Stream, will stretch for 900 km (560 miles) across the Black Sea from Russia to Bulgaria at a maximum depth of over 2 km (over 1 mile).
"It is a very promising project, which will improve energy supplies to the whole Europe," Putin said.
The president also said Russian companies were interested in the construction of a nuclear power plant in Bulgaria, a thermal power plant in Macedonia and modernization of power plants in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Putin supported the idea of an "energy ring" in the Black Sea region, which he said would help outlining the parameters of a common energy market in Europe.
"Synchronizing energy systems in western, central, and southern Europe with energy systems in CIS countries and the Baltic states is an important area of cooperation in the energy sphere," he said.
"The implementation of this project would allow us to create the Black Sea energy ring," Putin added.
