Turkish Stream Important for Diversification of Gas Supplies - Erdogan

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey views the Turkish Stream gas pipeline as an important project for the diversification of its energy supplies.

KIEV (Sputnik) — Turkey views the Turkish Stream gas pipeline as an important project for the diversification of its energy supplies, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday.

The so-called Turkish Stream project was initiated following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the construction of a Black Sea gas pipeline by Russia's energy giant Gazprom and Turkish pipeline corporation Botas in December 2014. The agreement came after Moscow abandoned the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, citing "unconstructive" claims by Brussels that the pipeline violated EU legislation.

"We have found the proposal on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline construction made by Russia instead of the canceled South Stream acceptable. This project [Turkish Stream] is important for the diversification of energy supplies," Erdogan said at a press conference Friday.

He also emphasized that Russia is Turkey's main gas supplier, adding that it is followed by Iran and Azerbaijan.

The announcement was made during Erdogan's official visit to Ukraine.

The Turkish Stream pipeline will deliver Russian gas to Turkey and customers in South Europe by means of a transit hub on the Turkish-Greek border. Its annual capacity is expected to be about 63 billion cubic meters.