Russian gas monopolist Gazprom will be able to send its gas via the Nabucco pipeline from Turkey to Austria, Reuters reported late Tuesday, quoting a source in the Turkish government.

“Russia may also become part of this project,” the news agency quoted a high-placed source in the Turkish Energy Ministry as saying. “If we take into account balance in the region and an expected level of demand and gas consumption, Turkey and its partners may decide to endorse the supply of Russian energy.” The source said that the United States and the European Union are not likely to oppose Gazprom’s plans to acquire a share in the pipeline which runs from Turkey to Austria, bypassing Russia.

Earlier reports said that Nabucco was in talks with Gaz de France on its participation in the project after Nabucco’s five major shareholders had decided to find a sixth partner. German RWE and French Total are also considered as possible shareholders.

The 4,000-km-long Nabucco pipeline will send gas from the Central Asia and the Caspian Sea via Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania to Austria.

The pipeline is to be put into operation in 2011. The ˆ5 billion project is developed by Austria’s OMV, Hungary’s MOL, Turkey’s Botas, Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz and Romania’s Transgaz.

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