SOFIA, Bulgaria, January 18, SPA -- Bulgarian and Russian officials signed a deal Friday to build a natural gas pipeline. The agreement came after visiting Russian PresidentVladimir Putin pushed hard to secure Bulgaria's crucialparticipation in the proposed South Stream pipeline thatwould cross from Russia under the Black Sea to Bulgaria andthen branch off for delivery deeper in Europe, the Associated Press reported. The deal required last-minute negotiations late Thursday. The Bulgarian Cabinet approved the deal at an extraordinary meeting only a few hours before it was signed. «Bulgaria's interests are fully protected, because thecompany which will be set up to construct and run thepipeline on Bulgarian soil will be with 50 percentBulgarian and 50 percent Russian ownership,» BulgarianPrime Minister Sergei Stanishev said.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/518709