Bulgaria, Greece and Russia adopted in Athens on Monday a trilateral declaration of cooperation in the energy sector, expressing support for the construction of the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. This was announced at a news conference after a trilateral meeting between Bulgarian President Georgi Purvanov, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The sides agreed that an interstate agreement supporting implementation of the project should be signed in 2006. Also, an international company will be set up to do a study and build the oil pipeline. The trilateral meeting devoted to energy cooperation was followed by a bilateral meeting between Purvanov and Karamanlis. Bulgaria will play a key role in the transportation of energy sources after the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project is carried out, Purvanov told the news conference. Bulgaria stands to win security, particularly in the energy sector, as well as new opportunities for economic development. The interstate agreement on the oil pipeline should be ready in a few months and the international company implementing the project should set down to work. It is now the turn of those directly responsible for project implementation, Purvanov said. The participants in Monday's meeting reaffirmed the three countries' joint position on the specific steps that should be taken in the future. Asked about the terms set by the three countries, Purvanov said no conditions were set during the talks and no details were discussed, either. "Principles are what matter most and we have no differences on them," he said. "We have got over the several-year delay in project implementation, which could have been fatal. The three sides concurred that a maximum number of participants should be involved in implementing the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project," Purvanov said. The Bulgarian President said cooperation in the energy sector, especially in natural gas transportation, was also discussed at the trilateral meeting.