The two-day energy summit on Sofia came to an end on April 25 2009 with a declaration pledging support for all infrastructure projects that are aimed at diversifying the supply of energy resources to Europe, to guarantee energy security for all.

But it was clear that while Bulgaria and Russia attempted to deny that there were tensions, significant differences remained about the South Stream issue. There was a lack of clear signals about how the issue would be resolved bilaterally, and it also was not clear what stance the European Union would take to pleadings that hitherto have been unwelcome, about declaring South Stream a "priority project" for the EU. Several Western European EU members and the US tend to favour the Nabucco gas pipeline project which, unlike South Stream, would help against dependence on Russian supplies of natural gas.

At a closing news conference, Purvanov said that the South Stream agreement should be signed when Russia and Bulgaria resolved their differences, adding pointedly that Bulgaria’s "sovereignty had to be taken into consideration". He indicated that it was not up to Russia's Gazprom to determine Bulgaria's stance on foreign policy issues.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin did not attend the Sofia meeting, with his office saying that this was because it was a meeting of "experts" although the view was widely taken that Putin’s absence was because of Bulgarian refusal to devote its gas transmission system to the South Stream project.

Russia’s energy minister Sergei Shmatko, representing Moscow at the summit, denied that there was any divergence on Bulgaria’s and Russia’s positions on South Stream.

At the same time, Purvanov also seemed to signal public support for Russian hopes of having South Stream endorsed as an EU priority project.

He told the April 25 news conference: "It is high time for the EU to understand that South Stream project should take an appropriate place on the EU agenda.

"We cannot close our eyes for the fact that more and more EU member states participate in this project, that it will be implemented with the participation of European companies," Purvanov said.

Purvanov said that the signing of a Bulgarian-Russian agreement on South Stream could happen during a working visit to Moscow by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev from April 26 to 28, or later, at a meeting of the South Stream partner countries to be held by Shmatko, probably next month.

US special envoy on Eurasian energy Richard Morningstar said that the US position on South Stream was neither for nor against. He said that the US supported the Nabucco project but it was just one project, "a piece in the puzzle, and not the only answer to energy security," Morningstar said.

Purvanov hailed the summit that he had convened as a success, and said that it could become an annual event.

The declaration of the summit, which was adopted unanimously, formulates common principles and common rules agreed by countries representing various regions and producing, transit and consuming countries.  

Purvanov said that the meeting hd achieved its main purpose, which was to be a venue for dialogue and understanding, a search for common regional and cross-regional energy issues, and progressive ideas for the strengthening of the European energy security,

In his closing speech, Purvanov said that the role of South East Europe, the Black Sea and the Caspian region countries in the implementation of the various gas projects and their contribution to energy security had been highlighted.

Bulgaria felt particular satisfaction with the fact that it had managed to encourage the positive development to the international energy cooperation, Purvanov said, as reported by Bulgarian National Radio.

Bulgarian news agency BTA, quoting mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa, reported that Bulgaria will be able to receive liquified or compressed gas from Egypt. Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov and Egypt's petroleum minister Sameh Fahmy signed an intergovernmental memorandum to this effect on the sidelines of the summit on April 25.