19 Jan 2010 13:31

Negotiations with Austria for South Stream will be finished in the near future

MOSCOW. Jan 19 (Interfax) - Gazprom intends to close negotiations with Austria in the near future for the South Stream and sign an intergovernmental agreement, the Russian gas concern's CEO, Alexei Miller, told journalists on Tuesday.

"I think that these negotiations for preparing an intergovernmental agreement will be closed in the near future," he said.

When asked which countries could join the project, Miller said Croatia could be involved.

"The focus is now on Croatia, about building a gas pipeline branches," Miller said.