Dow Jones: EU Energy Chief Committed to Opening Southern Corridor

Europe remains committed to plans to build a pipeline to bring gas from the Caspian Sea region to Europe, European Union energy chief Guenther Oettinger said Monday.

Mr. Oettinger spoke at a press conference ahead of a meeting in Vienna today of representatives from the Azerbaijan gas consortium, Shah Deniz II, and the Nabucco West pipeline consortium.

The pipeline is one of two proposals for bringing natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to Europe via Austria. The second line would bring the gas via Italy, also along a so-called southern corridor.

"We are very determined that the corridor will be opened," the EU energy commissioner said.

He said that both pipeline concepts were good and that no matter which proposal succeeds, the pipeline will be European.  MORE