US praises Nabucco deal

The US has praised Monday's signing of an intergovernmental agreement on a pipeline to bring Caspian natural gas to Europe via Turkey, bypassing Russia, saying that the project would bolster energy security by diversifying delivery routes. "We congratulate the governments of Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria on the July 13 signing of the intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco pipeline project," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said in a written statement hours after the landmark ceremony in Ankara, referring to the five countries through which the pipeline is set to be built. "This agreement is a significant milestone in achieving our shared vision of opening a new energy corridor that will bring Caspian gas to Europe. Energy security is gained through diversity – diversity of energy sources, delivery routes and consumer markets, and the Nabucco pipeline is an example of that diversity." Stating that while hard work lies ahead, he called the pact an important step in realizing the Nabucco project, adding that it would encourage potential supplier countries and companies that would build the pipeline.