Five former Soviet states sign energy deal to bypass Russia

Vilnius - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine - all once under Soviet control - signed a deal Wednesday an alternative route for energy supplies to Europe. They signed the agreement in Vilnius to construct the Odessa- Brody-Plock-Gdansk pipeline, connecting countries of the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea region.

Hailing it as "an historic event," Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus told journalists the agreement showed the unity of the entire region and paved way to self-determination and sovereignty.

The agreement creates a new consortium - known as Sarmatia - which will be responsible for the pipeline construction.

Sarmatia is an unofficial name of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, popularised in the 17th century.

Poland and Lithuania spearheaded the effort to sign the deal. The extended pipeline will offer Eastern European countries an alternative energy partner, said Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

Kaczynski said he expected the pipeline to open in 2011. Read on >>