PM Samaras holds meeting with TAP representatives

Representatives of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) on Monday welcomed the support expressed by the Greek government once again for the pipeline as a project of great importance for Greece and Europe's energy strategy, in a meeting they had with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras shortly before his departure for Qatar.

Participating in the meeting, apart from the prime minister, were Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, Deputy Development Minister Notis Mitarakis and Deputy Environment Minister Makis Papageorgiou and on TAP's part managing director Kjetil Tungland, Markus Brokhof, a member of the board of Axpo Trading, Oliver Giese, first vice president of E.ON's Infrastructures Management, Bjarne Bull-Berg, vice president of Statoil's Business Development, Rokard Scoufias, TAP's manager for Greece and Stathis Theodoropoulos, an adviser of TAP.

"We welcome the continuing support of the Greek government which is strengthening the possibilities of success of the Greek course, as the date approaches for the decision on the South Natural Gas Corridor. We wish to thank Prime Minister Antonis Samaras in particular for the priceless support that he has provided for us," said TAP managing director Kjetil Tungland.

Speaking on the part of TAP's shareholders, Markus Brokhof of Axpo Trading commented: "We are proud of the wonderful cooperation between Greece and TAP in the framework of a project that will contribute to the influx of Foreign Direct Investments, it will create jobs, and it will provide priceless economic advantages to the country".

With 1.5 billion euros, TAP will constitute one of the biggest foreign direct investments in Greece. TAP is participating in a tender for the transportation of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe, with the final selection of the transport corridor for the gas expected in June 2013 by the joint venture of Shah Deniz in Azerbaijan. TAP constitutes the only selection of a pipeline crossing through Greece.

TAP is a natural gas pipeline project. The pipeline will carry natural gas from the region of the Caspian Sea through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea to Southern Italy and further on to Western Europe. The project aims at strengthening the security of supply, as well as the differentiation of natural gas supplies for the European markets. TAP will open a new, the so-called South Natural Gas Corridor to Europe and will create a new exit to the market for natural gas from the Caspian Sea.