A Russian daily said Monday that Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller could offer Romano Prodi, who steps down as Italy's premier in early May, a top post in South Stream AG, a European gas pipeline project.

South Stream, a joint project between Russia's monopoly Gazprom and Italian oil and gas giant ENI, is expected to pump 30 billion cu m of Central Asian gas to Europe annually from 2012, at an estimated cost of $14 billion.

Kommersant citing a government source said: "Analysts believe that Gazprom will do exactly as they did with Nord Stream and former Germany chancellor Gerhard Schroeder who heads the shareholders' committee," the post is roughly equivalent to board chairman.

A Gazprom publication confirmed that Miller is due to meet with Prodi during a business trip to Italy on Monday.

RIA Novosti


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