SABAH- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said last week that the US was against making Russian Gazprom a partner of the Turkish-Greek pipeline on the grounds that Russia is becoming the only energy monopoly in the region and that the US is disturbed that Gazprom is using a strategic card. Rice gave a similar message to Athens before she arrived in Ankara. It’s no secret that Washington suggested to the two capitals that it would be better to be directed towards the Azerbaijani pipeline. Will Turkey go along with this? Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler said that it was important for Turkey to continue with this pipeline. Guler stated that the question of including Gazprom in the Turkish-Greek pipeline partnership didn’t depend on Ankara’s decision alone. He added, ‘Turkey has a clear stance: It will continue its efforts to become an energy corridor. We can’t make a decision concerning the Gazprom issue alone. Greece should make a decision on that as well.’ Guler said that the issue shouldn’t be considered as the Turkish-Greek gas pipeline alone.
He also mentioned the project called ‘Nabuco’ which he called important. In other words, the pipeline to be extended through Turkey to Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Australia and then Slovakia and the Czech Republic… Guler said that other countries were also interested in this project and added, ‘Firstly, the gas should be brought from Azerbaijan, because its construction hadn’t been completed yet. In addition, the Caspian passage is important. This issue should be solved as well.’ Concerning the difficulty of going along with Rice’s suggestion, Guler said that in the Turkish-Greek pipeline, Russia wants to give us gas totaling 4.5 billion cubic meters which we haven’t taken from the pipeline before, that is, only make us use the excess capacity. ‘Turkey can’t give up this pipeline,’ he added. ‘In addition, supplier countries’ opinions should be listened to as well. Nobody can make the decision alone. All the countries should come together and make a decision.’ What’s interesting is Washington’s paradox. While Washington suggested that Ankara and Athens exclude Gazprom, it ignored how US energy companies signed developments strengthening Russia. For example, the first oil in Baku was transported from Russia’s Novorossisk harbor through the pipeline, and another line was laid through the Georgian Supsa harbor. Meanwhile, the Dagestan pipeline which was built due to the problems in Chechnya made things easier for Russia. It became an 80% partner in Turkmenistan natural gas and raised its energy leverage in the region through a new agreement with Uzbekistan. All these developments happened because Western countries, mostly American ones, gave way to Moscow. Now Washington, which says that we should break Russia’s domination, should present an alternative place to receive the gas. Otherwise, the suggestion would mean Turkey giving up becoming an energy terminal, which is impossible. http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=121506
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