Turkey has prioritized the European gas project – RBC

Turkey has prioritized the European gas project – RBC

The head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu

Photo: AFP

«We consider and evaluate Putin’s proposal for a new gas pipeline through Turkey. But Turkey is a priority for the project TANAP », – Interfax quoted the head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu. According to him, Ankara and Moscow signed a memorandum of understanding that provides a discussion of the project of building a gas pipeline from Russia to Turkey under the Black Sea instead of the “South Stream”. “Following these discussions, Turkey will give the answer” – Cavusoglu said, speaking at a press conference after a meeting with Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline will run from Azerbaijan through Georgia to Turkey. It will become part of the “Southern Gas Corridor”, which the European Union has prioritized the project after the refusal of Russia from the “South Stream».

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said by 2035 the EU will need about 700 billion cubic meters. meters of gas, compared with the current level of consumption in the 550 billion cubic meters, according to Interfax. He stressed that “Europe will try to cover their needs for various projects: it may be a gas for the Eastern Mediterranean, maybe Iranian gas and Turkmen gas as the Azerbaijani gas and Russian gas ».

About stop the construction of a gas pipeline to Europe under the Black Sea through Bulgaria became known on 1 December. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, to take this step Moscow was forced to because of the position of Sofia, refused to give permission to build.

Russia offered Turkey to build in this country pipeline across the Black Sea, through which gas could would come to the border with Greece and Europe. In the Energy Ministry of Turkey said they did not plan to participate in the construction of the offshore section, but ready to take on the cost of the onshore area, RIA Novosti reported.

Earlier, senior Turkish officials have privately said that the Russian proposal should not interfere with the planned construction pipeline through Azerbaijan, in which Turkey has an interest. One of them told Reuters, in Ankara are wary of the new pipeline project, as this may further increase the dependence on Russia.

The representative of the Russian Energy Ministry declined to comment on RBC position of the Turkish side. The representative of “Gazprom” declined to comment.