The leading German language business newspaper, Handelsblatt, referring to a representative of the RWE concern, which is involved in the Nabucco project, reports the decision on launching the ambitious project will be made next year.

Thus, the construction will get under way in 2012 at the earliest, and gas will go to Europe only in 2015, the newspaper writes.

The author notes the consortium has so far failed to reach clear agreements with the supplier-countries, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Iraq.

Moreover, Russia regularly torpedoes the project, as it seeks to retain its position as major gas exporter from the eastern regions. Russia is interested in Caspian gas, the newspaper writes.