Turkish Stream Gas Pipeline Deal Must Be Prepared Before World Energy Congress

The preparation of an intergovernmental agreement and a roadmap on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project must be completed before the World Energy Congress, set to be held in Istanbul in October, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The World Energy Congress, bringing together energy ministers and leaders from business, finance and academia, will be held in Istanbul on October 9-13.

“Our aim, set for us by the authorities, is to prepare and agree on the relevant document before the start the International Energy Congress,” Novak said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 broadcaster.

Russian experts are currently discussing with their Turkish colleagues an intergovernmental agreement project on the Turkish Stream and a “roadmap” — an annex to this agreement, the minister added.

The Turkish Stream project was announced in the end of 2014 by President Vladimir Putin on his state visit to Turkey. In November 2015, the Turkish Stream project, which was planned to bring Russian gas via the Black Sea into Turkey and southern Europe, was suspended after a Russian Su-24 aircraft was downed by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria. In June, following Turkey's apology to Russia for the November incident, the sides began a reconciliation process.