Russia ready to increase gas supplies to Turkey: Russian Minister

MOSCOW

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak (C) attends an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Tehran November 21, 2015. REUTERS Photo

Russia is ready to scale up natural gas supplies to Turkey, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Dec. 28 in an interview with Rossiya 24 TV Channel. 

“Russia has gas. Russian gas is fairly cheap. We have relevant infrastructure and we are definitely ready to supply and increase gas supplies [to Turkey],” the minister said, as quoted by TASS News Agency. 

 “Economic and commercial cooperation must continue and it will be efficient for both parties,” he said. 

“Everything will depend in future on competition, on the implementation of projects declared by many nations but not actually implemented,” the minister said. 

Russia is currently supplying 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of the 50 bcm of natural gas that Turkey needs every year, he added.

Turkey has been exploring new energy alternatives amid an ongoing diplomatic crisis with Russia, although officials continue to view any potential gas blockage by Russia as unlikely.

Novak also said the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline has a future if the European Commission establishes the necessary gas transportation infrastructure to receive Russian gas, in line with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier remarks. 

“Here it is extremely important to establish the appropriate infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe,” Novak said.

The Turkish Stream gas pipeline project will continue if Turkey manages to obtain guarantees from Brussels, said Russian President Vladimir Putin during an annual press conference on Dec. 17.

“We need guarantees in writing from the European Commission that all routes … will become a priority with the EC’s support. If Gazprom’s Turkish partners bring us a document of this sort, we can move on. Unfortunately, it hasn’t happened for now,” Putin said, as quoted by TASS.