PM Samaras discusses Greece's role in EU natgas strategy with Commissioner Oettinger

Greece's role in the European natural gas strategy was the main topic of discussion during Wednesday's meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said here during a press conference on the European strategy to secure the bloc's energy supplies.

Oettinger said that they had focused on the South Stream pipeline network that will carry natural gas from Azerbaijan to Greece and on the pipeline project that will change the route of natural gas directing it from Greece to Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.

They also discussed the liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in Greece and the natural gas deposits in the eastern Mediterranean.

According to Oettinger, the European Commission regards the development of natural gas infrastructure in Greece as very important, including the undersea pipeline and the LNG terminal.

He also said that they discussed the last steps of the procedure for the privatisation of the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator S.A. (DESFA).

The prime minister, accompanied by Greek Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis, met with Oettinger on Wednesday morning.

The key focus was energy security through a diversification of supply routes and sources, as well as issues relating to the two pipelines involving Greece, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline and a Greek-Bulgarian pipeline.

The Greek side's interest was mostly focused on promoting projects of a common European interest, especially those related to links with existing networks.