Baku, Azerbaijan, May 18
By Aygun Badalova - Trend:
Greece is not planning to advance talks on the Russia-backed Poseidon pipeline during a forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Athens, EurActiv reported with the reference to diplomatic sources.
Greek media said that energy issues, in particular the Poseidon project, will be high on the agenda during the visit of Putin to Athens on May 28.
However, according to diplomatic sources close to the issue, there would be a discussion over energy but with "no essential result".
"Taking into account the bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia, no discussion on energy issues could make a progress," the sources said.
In February, Russia's Gazprom, Italy's Edison and Greek DEPA signed a memorandum of understanding on deliveries of Russian natural gas through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy via an undersea pipeline in the Black Sea. The sides are planning to use to full extent the results of work that has already been completed by Edison and DEPA under the ITGI Poseidon project.
At the same time Greece is a transit country for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which envisages transportation of gas from the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas and condensate field to the EU countries.
Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras said at the TAP groundbreaking ceremony in Thessaloniki, May 17, that the project is of geo-strategic importance for the entire region, and it will help Greece to become an important energy hub.