Ankara, (SANA)- The agreement of Nabucco pipeline project was signed Monday in Ankara for transporting natural gas from Central Asia to Europe in the presence of Syrian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sufian Allaw.

Presidents of the countries and governments of Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Iraq and Head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso took part in the signing ceremony.

The project is of great importance to both Turkey and Europe in terms of ensuring energy and the diversity of its resources.

Nabucco project agreement provides for laying a 3300 km gas pipeline to transport  gas coming from Central Asia, Caspian Sea basin and the Middle East (Iraq, Iran, Egypt) to Europe through Turkey.

The estimated total cost of the project amounts to 8 billion Euros with the aim of reaching 25 to 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually.

The project implementation is expected to start in 2011 and the gas supply begins in 2014. 

Haifa Said /Idelbi