Hungarian FM Interested in Russian Gas Deliveries to Europe via Turkey

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wants to negotiate the delivery of Russian gas to Central Europe using the new proposed pipeline via Turkey. The capacity of the new pipeline will be 63 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

ANKARA, January 26 (Sputnik) — Hungary is ready to negotiate on the delivery of Russian gas to Central Europe using the new proposed pipeline via Turkey instead of the canceled South Stream project, the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, said Monday.

Due to the cancellation of the South Stream project, Hungary is searching for new options, Szijjarto said during his press conference in Ankara.

Szijjarto added that Hungary was interested in the new Russian alternative pipeline to the South Stream project, which is planned to run via Turkey.

As soon as Turkey comes to final agreement with Russia on the issue, Hungary will be eager to start talks on the transit of Russian gas from Turkey to Europe, Szijjarto indicated.

In December 2014, during a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkey, the two countries agreed to construct a new gas pipeline under Black Sea to Turkey. The decision followed Putin's announcement that Russia was unable to continue with the South Stream gas pipeline project due to the European Commission's "non-constructive" stance on the matter.

The capacity of the new pipeline will be 63 billion cubic meters of gas per year. It is planned that Turkey will receive 14 billion cubic meters, while the rest will be transferred to a hub on the border between Turkey and Greece for onward transit to other European countries.

Construction of the South Stream pipeline across the Black Sea to Bulgaria was announced by Gazprom in 2012. It was intended to insure against potential delivery interruptions due to instability in Ukraine, through which the bulk of Russian gas is piped to European customers. The pipeline was expected to be operational by 2018.