(BUDAPEST) - Alternative projects pose no threat to the European Union's flagship Nabucco gas pipeline, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in Budapest on Monday.

"Other gas pipeline projects do not necessarily jeopardise the EU Nabucco pipeline," he said after meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.

"Europe is in need of an increasing number of energy links, which is why the European Union is committed to the Nabucco project," Barroso added, noting that it was in Europe's interest to diversify its energy sources and supply routes.

Hungary is a shareholder in the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline, aimed at bringing gas from Central Asia to Europe while bypassing Russia.

But it also signed up to Russia's South Stream gas pipeline project earlier this year, prompting US concerns that Budapest may sideline the EU project, which is aimed at reducing Europe's energy reliance on Moscow.

Last Thursday, the US ambassador to Hungary urged Budapest to proceed with Nabucco and slow down negotiations with the Russian project.

"Russia has repeatedly used its energy dominance for political purposes," Ambassador April Foley, said.

"Projects like the Nabucco Pipeline can bring real diversification, but only if they are given priority status," she added.

Gyurcsany announced in July that he wanted to organise a summit in January 2009 to give new momentum to the slow-moving Nabucco project.

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