Projects of an energy bridge between Caspian Sea and Balkans are in focus of negotiations between Georgia and Romania

According to the information provided to RIA Novosti by the press service of the Romanian President, matters of transportation of Caspian sea hydrocarbons (oil and gas) along the Supsa-Constantsa route were in the centre of Romanian-Georgian top level negotiations which commenced on Monday in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

To transport the hydrocarbons the parties intend to use the oil pipeline which delivers fuel from Azerbaijian to the Black sea coast of Georgia and the ferry which connects Georgian ports of Batumi, Poti and Supsa with Romanian terminals in Constantsa.

Romanian President Ion Iliescu stated in his interview to RIA Novosti that Bucharest was interested in cooperation with Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space in implementation of an efficient power engineering program "mutually beneficial for the whole Caspian-Black sea region." According to Iliescu, he plans to discuss specific proposals with the Russian leadership in the course of his official visit to Moscow. For the same purpose Iliescu intends to visit Azerbaijan in October 2002 and in 2003 - to have meetings with leaders of other Trans-Caucasian and Middle Asian states.

The head of the Romanian state is in Tbilisi on an official visit (July 1-3) on the invitation of the Georgian side. The parties are expected to sign two documents, on cooperation in the area of education and on regulation of customs procedures.