Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16
By Emil Ismayilov - Trend:
Turkey intends to offer Russia a laying option for the "South Stream" gas pipeline not on the bottom of the Black Sea as expected, but onshore, the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz, said.
The Turkish side intends to discuss the issue with the Russian "Gazprom" company in the furture which is the largest supplier of gas to Europe, theTurkish TRT Haber TV channel quotes theminister as saying.
The crisis in Ukraine will not affect economic relations between Turkey and Russia, as Ankara and Moscow are strategic partners, Yildiz said.
The "South Stream" gas pipeline with the capacity of 63 billion cubic meters will pass across the Black Sea to the countries of South and Central Europe, bypassing Ukraine to diversify export routes for natural gas.
The project's main participants are Russia's Gazprom and Italy's ENI. The pipeline is expected to launch in 2015. Its maximum capacity will be 63 billion cubic meters per year. The gas pipeline will operate at full capacity in 2018.
The project participants are "Gazprom" - 50 percent, the Italian "Eni" - 20 percent, "Wintershall" and the French EDF - 15 percent each.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.