from tensorflow.python.ops import gen_state_ops

    container: An optional string. Defaults to "".
      If non-empty, this variable is placed in the given container.
      Otherwise, a default container is used.
    shared_name: An optional string. Defaults to "".
      If non-empty, this variable is named in the given bucket
      with this shared_name. Otherwise, the node name is used instead.

  Returns:
    A variable tensor.
  """
  ret = gen_state_ops._variable(shape=shape, dtype=dtype, name=name,
                                container=container, shared_name=shared_name)
  # TODO(mrry): Move this to where it is used, so we can get rid of this op
  #   wrapper?
  if set_shape:
    ret.set_shape(shape)
  return ret


# NOTE(mrry): Shapes are conditionally set in the Python wrapper.
