Russia, Croatia see deal over South Stream route

摘要

Moscow-Russia and Croatia expect to prepare an intergovernmental agreement in early 2010 to build the planned South Stream natural gas pipeline across the Balkan country's territory, Russia's Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said December 15. "We have agreed to continue consultations in early 2010 in order to reach a corresponding [agreement]," Shmatko told reporters in Moscow. The two countries already have discussed the issue and Russia has backed Croatia's role in the project, he said.