Russia says hopes to sign agreement on Turkish Stream after Turkey government formed

MOSCOW

CİHAN photo

Russia hopes to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline after a new government is formed in Turkey, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenija on July 23, as reported by Russia’s TASS news agency. 

“Indeed, an intergovernmental agreement has not yet been signed. The reason is primarily that there is no government there [in Turkey],” Medvedev said. 

“Our partners, our counterparts in Turkey are due to form this government. It’s not that simple as experience sometimes shows,” he said as quoted by TASS. 

“We are holding negotiations with them. I hope that after all political problems are resolved there and the political process is completed, we will be able to reach a final agreement on all issues,” he said.

Medvedev noted that Slovenia could play “quite a significant role” in the construction of the pipeline. He said a number of countries that receive Russian gas, including Hungary and Serbia, had already expressed their interest in the Turkish Stream project. 

“I would therefore recommend that your top executives should take a closer look at the project,” he also said.