Russia to Load Blue Stream to Turkey to Full Capacity
The arm-wrestling between Russia’s Gazprom and Europe continues, but with a different and more commercial-based confrontation. Russia strengthened its ties with Turkey on Wednesday, as Europe is saying that the decision to not delay the previsional application of the free trade with Ukraine stems from a decision taken by Russian authorities.
Gazprom agreed with Taner Yildiz, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, that the company will pump more Russian gas to the Blue Stream.
‘It was agreed to load Blue Stream with Russian natural gas to full capacity as soon as possible in order to satisfy the growing demand of Turkish consumers,’ reads a note released on Wednesday.
The decision implies investments both in Turkish and Russian soli.
Turkey is our most evolving market in terms of supplies. Gazprom has always reacted to the growing gas demand in Turkey by boosting supplies via Blue Stream. Today's decision will enable the Turkish economy to progress to a new stage,” Alexey Miller commented.
BARROSO WRITES A LETTER TO PUTIN
President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso wrote that the European decision to apply the free trade agreement is related to a decree adopted by the Russian government.
“I should emphasize that the proposal to delay the provisional application of the DCFTA is linked to continuation of the CIS-FTA preferential regime, as agreed in the joint ministerial statement. In this context, we have strong concerns about the recent adoption of a decree by the Russian government proposing new trade barriers between Russia and Ukraine,” Barroso wrote in the letter to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
However, Barroso did not close the door to other possible consultations about the economic consequences of the agreement between Europe and Ukraine.
“I wish to recall that the joint conclusions reached at the Ministerial meeting state clearly that all these steps are part and parcel of a comprehensive peace process in Ukraine, respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine as well as its right to decide on its destiny,” Barroso added.