Azerbaijan , Baku, Oct.3 / Trend, A. Taghiyeva /
Despite the fact that Turkey has not extended an agreement with Russia on gas supplies via the so-called "western route", the Turkish side expects Russia's proposals within the "South Stream," Haberler newspaper quotes the Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz as telling journalists Saturday.
Yildiz also said the refusal to extend the agreement on Russian gas supplies to Turkey will not affect the two countries' relations.
"Russian-Turkish relations are based not only on gas pipeline policy, so this will not affect the two countries' relations," he said.
He said the private sector of Turkey and Russia can still reach an agreement on the purchase of Russian gas via the so-called "western route".
Yildiz said that an agreement on Russian natural gas supplies via the so-called "western route" (through Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria), signed 25 years ago and expired in December, will not be extended. Yildiz earlier spoke of the possibility of reviewing the contract for the supply of about 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey annually, if Gazprom refuses to cut gas prices.
Turkey ranks second in terms of import of Russian hydrocarbon resources. Along with the "western route", it receives gas via the trans - Black Sea gas pipeline "Blue Stream".