By Selen Tonkus
ISTANBUL
The proposed 'Turkish Stream' is a way for Russia to sell its gas to Europe without being subject to EU rules as Turkey is not an EU member, according to secretary general of the Energy Charter on Tuesday.
Secretary Urban Rusnak speaking to The Anadolu Agency commented on Russia's new gas pipeline project via Turkey into Greece which replaces the point of entry from Bulgaria to Turkey in the cancelled South Stream pipeline.
"Russia aims to get the gas as close to Europe without being exposed to EU rules," Rusnak said.
The South Stream project, which was due to be operational by 2018, was designed to ship Russia's natural gas to Europe through Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Austria.
However, Brussels halted the project on the grounds that it would increase reliance on Russian gas among south-eastern EU countries.
Consequently, Russian President Vladmir Putin announced the cancellation of the project on Dec. 1 during his visit to Turkey.
"Greece being an EU member means that Russia will inevitably be caught by the EU," Rusnak said, and added that Russia is now looking to Turkey as a way of gaining access to EU markets and circumnavigating sanctions by using Turkey as a transit route.
Rusnak said regarding the feasibility of the Turkish Stream, that it is very ambitious but will be possible after certain modifications are made for large gas volumes.
According to Rusnak, the project plans to carry 64 billion cubic meters of gas, and in the long term will foresee Caspian, Iraqi and Iranian gas coming on the scene.
Rusnak also said Turkey is working in accordance within the framework of the Energy Charter Treaty and is contributing actively to the development of its energy charter process. In 2013 Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry applied for consultation to the charter's secretariat, which announced a review and recommendations report in May after completing its research on Turkey's energy policy.
The Energy Charter Treaty is an international agreement which establishes a multilateral framework for cross-border co-operation in the energy industry. Its secretariat, based in Brussels, Belgium provides support for the implementation of the treaty.
The Charter recommended that Turkey continues its work on energy efficiency and renewable energy towards decreasing fuel imports and supporting economic growth and the environment. In addition, it suggested that Turkish energy efficiency legislation should continue to be aligned with the relevant EU energy efficiency-related policies and legislation.
The Energy Charter Treaty has 54 members including EU states, non-EU Eastern European, Central Asian states, Japan and Australia.
Turkey has been a signatory of the treaty since 2001.
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