Former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, adviser to the Nabucco pipeline project considers that presently several major investors from U.S. and Europe await for the Nabucco project launch from Brussels. Once it triggers off, Europeans are confident that Russia will be forced to join it.

According to Fischer, the talks with Turkmenistan and other potential gas suppliers will be held in H1 2010 to launch the project in autumn. Fischer attaches large significance to Azerbaijan and is certain, that Turkmenistan and other Central Asian states will not only assist the project but play a key role compared to that of now.

“We consider there should be no monopoly of gas supplied from Russia. Gas should be supplied to Europe from different sources and as South Stream project (bypassing by Black Sea) dies on the vine, Nabucco is not only realistic but beneficial to Europe and Caspian states,” he underlined. Besides, according to him, the Central Asia should set foot down decide on Nabucco project as soon as possible, as the pipeline can be filled with gas in Iraq and potentially in Iran.