Turkish Parliament ratifies deal on Turkish Stream gas pipeline

ANKARA

The Turkish Parliament passed a bill ratifying an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on building the Turkish Stream gas pipeline late on Dec. 1.

Ankara and Moscow signed the gas pipeline agreement in Istanbul on Oct. 10 after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting in a bid to further normalize ties after the jet crisis. 

It was planned that the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline would comprise four stretches with a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters (bcm) each.

However, talks on the project were subsequently suspended, including due to the crisis in bilateral relations. 

After talks were held between Erdoğan and Putin in St. Petersburg in August 2016, a decision was made to resume works under the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, to set up a working group and to prepare a roadmap.

In the intergovernmental agreement, the number of pipeline branches has been decreased to two, each with a capacity of 15.75 bcm.

The first branch will supply gas directly to Turkey, while the second will be used to deliver gas to European countries through Turkey.