June 1, 2009 - 22:35 AMT
Not time to include Iranian gas in gas projects yet
The U.S. believes that it is not time to include Iranian gas in any project, since Iran continues violating its obligations against international organizations and creating danger for peace and stability world over, Richard Morningstar, Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy of the U.S. State Department said.

"We are confident, that Iranian policy will change and time will come, when we start supporting the idea of involving Iranian gas in that project.

For the time being the U.S. will support all merchantable routs from Caspian basin to Europe on a single condition not to involve Iranian gas," Mr. Morningstar said.

According to the U.S. State Department representative, Nabucco and Turkey-Greece-Italia projects are of strategic importance.

"These two projects could promote development not only of Azerbaijan, but Iraq and Turkmenistan," Mr. Morningstar stressed, adding that implementation of those projects is only a one side of the problem and these projects do not solve all issues of energy safety in Europe, "Novosti-Azerbaijan" reports.