Turkey, Russia 'freeze Turkish Stream talks'

Turkey and Russia have been unable to make progress in the planned Turkish Stream project and have frozen talks for now, according to high-level Turkish energy officials.

?We can?t move forward in the negotiations at the moment. Russia placed the gas discount talks between Gazprom and Turkey?s gas grid, BOTA?, as a prerequisite to the Turkish Stream project. But we saw this as a starting point. As no government could be established after the June election in Turkey, the talks have been frozen for now. The parties have not ended the talks, but frozen them,? said Energy Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Sefa Sad?k Aytekin. 

Aytekin noted that Turkey had increased its requested gas discount from around 6 percent to 10.25 percent. 

?We actually wanted to negotiate these issues separately from each other,? he said at the 16th International Energy Arena meeting, held by the Strategic Technical Economic Research Center (STEAM) on Sept. 10.

Interim Energy Minister Ali R?za Alaboyun also said that it seems unlikely for Russia and Turkey to agree until a new government is established in Turkey. 

?We will not focus on this issue during my interim ministerial process until the November election. Russia offered a gas discount of around 10.25, but we did not accept this, as we saw this as a beginning price to start negotiations. This was not a prerequisite to start talks over a gas pipeline project for us. Besides, Russia does not keep its promises on gas discounts now. All these issues will be clarified during the term of the next minister after me after the elections,? he said at a press conference on Sept. 11.

Turkey is among the largest gas buyers from Russia and BOTA? is the biggest trade partner for Gazprom, Aytekin noted. ...