ESSEN, Germany, March 12 (Reuters) - Talks RWE is

holding with ADNOC over potential deliveries of liquefied

natural gas have slowed in light of the U.S.-Israeli war on

Iran, which has caused major shutdowns of local energy

infrastructure, the utility's CEO said.

RWE had signed a provisional agreement with ADNOC in

February that could see it purchase LNG supplies for European

markets, as Berlin pushes to diversify its energy partners.

"Discussions with ADNOC are of course continuing, albeit at

a slightly slower pace given all the issues our colleagues are

dealing with," RWE CEO Markus Krebber told journalists at the

company's annual press conference.

"But we have been in productive talks about turning the

memorandum of understanding into contracts."