Gaz de France said its candidacy to participate in the Nabucco gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Europe has been rejected, and that it will study other options like the Russian-Italian South Stream project to bring Russian gas to Europe.

GDF's talks to participate in the 4.6 bln eur project were derailed by a French legislative bill last year that outlawed the denial of the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire, a source close to the matter said.

The row reportedly disrupted GDF's talks to join the pipeline last year.

Turkey has maintained there was no massacre.

(C) 2008 Xinhua Financial News. All Rights Reserved

Related Project
Nabucco Gas Pipeline
Facility Type: Pipeline Owner: Nabucco Gas Pipeline International Gmbh
Scope: New Construction Location: Middle East and Central Asia to Europe Turkey