Tbilisi Rules Out S.Ossetia Gas Pipe for Now

Tbilisi will not give the go-ahead for the construction of a gas pipeline linking South Ossetia with the neighboring North Ossetian Republic in Russia, as long as the region remains beyond the control of Georgia?s central authorities, PM Zurab Nogaideli said on August 29.

Yuri Morozov, the prime minister of secessionist South Ossetia, said recently that the Georgian energy minister, Nika Gilauri, was ready, after September 20, to engage in talks on the construction of the pipeline with Itera, a Russian company distributing gas in Georgia?s regions.

Gilauri, however, has rejected the claim. ?No such talks have ever taken place at the Energy Ministry,? he told reporters on August 29.

?Naturally, we will not discuss this issue until our jurisdiction has been restored in Tskhinvali,? PM Nogaideli said after a government session. ?Afterwards, we will be ready to discuss the issue.?

Russia?s Gazprom began construction of the pipeline in North Ossetia last October, prompting protests from Tbilisi. PromGaz, a daughter company of Gazprom?s, is in charge of the project, which is reportedly worth 15 billion Roubles (over USD 580 million). The project is funded by Gazprom. 

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