Erdogan says Turkey and Russia to study Putin’s gas hub proposal

Sides will work collectively to arrange a distribution centre in Turkey to export extra fuel by way of the TurkStream fuel pipeline, Turkish president says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, (right), greets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upon his arrival at the Rus sanatorium in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russia, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin is the center. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Russia Friday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to focus on a grain deal brokered by Turkey, prospects for talks on ending hostilities in Ukraine, and the situation in Syria. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Erdogan says Russian and Turkish power authorities would work collectively to designate the most effective location for a fuel distribution centre in Turkey [File: Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his authorities and that of Russia have instructed their respective power authorities to instantly start technical research on a Russian proposal that will flip Turkey right into a fuel hub for Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week floated the concept of exporting extra fuel via the TurkStream fuel pipeline operating beneath the Black Sea to Turkey after fuel deliveries to Germany via the Baltic Sea’s Nord Stream pipeline have been halted.

Erdogansaid Russian and Turkish power authorities would work collectively to designate the most effective location for a fuel distribution centre, including that Turkey’s Thrace area, bordering Greece and Bulgaria, gave the impression to be the most effective spot.

“Along with Mr Putin, now we have instructed our Ministry of Vitality and Pure Sources and the related establishment on the Russian aspect to work collectively,” mentioned Erdogan, who on Thursday met the Russian president on the sidelines of a summit in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.

“They are going to conduct this research. Wherever probably the most acceptable place is, we'll hopefully set up this distribution centre there.”

TurkStream Map
The trail of the TurkStream pipeline [Al Jazeera]

‘No ready’

This was Erdogan’s first public assertion on the Russian proposal, reflecting Turkey’s long-voiced want to turn into an power hub.

“There might be no ready,” Erdogan was quoted as saying.

On Friday, Turkish International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned the Russian proposal wants “to be studied effectively”.

“There are investments that should be made, they should be examined,” he mentioned throughout a joint information convention together with his Qatari counterpart.

“This can be a matter of provide and demand. How a lot of Europe … is able to purchase fuel from such a challenge? This must be labored out collectively.”

Cavusoglu added that Turkey needed to alleviate Europe’s power disaster.

“The weakening of Europe in all elements isn't in Turkey’s curiosity. Quite the opposite, it's towards [Turkey’s interests],” Cavusoglu mentioned.

Vitality analysts have, nevertheless, questioned the chance of the proposal to ship fuel to Europe by way of Turkey getting off the bottom. European leaders have criticised Russia’s reliability as an power provider, calling Russia’s cuts in pure fuel a political bid to divide them over their help for Ukraine after Moscow’s invasion.

Germany this week rejected one other proposal by Putin to step up fuel flows to Europe by way of a hyperlink of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline underneath the Baltic Sea – a pipeline that has by no means been operational. Moscow minimize off the parallel Nord Stream 1 fuel pipeline over what it claimed have been technical issues.

Requested to touch upon an assertion by Putin that Russia had foiled an assault on the TurkStream fuel pipeline, Erdogan mentioned Turkey was taking each step essential to safe the pipeline.

 

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