An intergovernmental agreement on Nabucco gas pipeline construction will be signed in Ankara on 13 July by Turkey, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania — donor countries.

Being in the signing ceremony, the President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will not however sign the document, as it is drawn by the countries sponsoring the pipeline construction, Georgian mass media informs. Georgia is a transit country and has already signed the relevant agreement in Budapest. Under the Nabucco project the transportation of gas to European countries through Georgia, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria bypassing Russia is planned. Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Iraq are to be potential sources of energy carrier.

USA opposes Iran to be involved in the project, that is why gas filling is one of the critical problems of Nabucco project. The construction was planned to start in 2011.

According to certain sources, one of the reasons for continuous agreement elaboration was compromise seeking with Ankara, that imposed a rigid condition: 15% of Nabucco gas should go for Turkey’s domestic consumption and re-export.

The rated capacity of the 3,3 thousand km gas main is 30 bln c.m. a year. The Nabucco project is estimated at $7,9 bln.