Turkey, Israel To Discuss Pipeline: Steineitz

Turkey and Israel have agreed to hold talks for a possible natural gas pipeline to ship eastern Mediterranean gas to European markets. Turkish energy minister Berat Albayrak and his Israeli counterpart Yuval Steineitz agreed to start talks after the six-year freeze of diplomatic ties between two countries. They held talks in Istanbul, on the sidelines of World Energy Congress.

"We discussed energy in general and particularly the issue of natural gas and the possibility of building a natural gas pipeline from Israel to Turkey in order to deliver natural gas to Turkey and to Europe," Israel energy minister Steineitz said in the press conference.

The two countries will hold talks on technical issues and feasibility of a natural gas pipeline from Israel to Turkey, Steinitz said. He also called Turkish companies to attend tender for exploration for Israeli natural gas. The tender will be held in November, he added.

In June, Israel agreed to pay compensation to relatives of those killed when Israeli forces stormed the Mavi Marmara ship in international waters in 2010. The ship was bound for Gaza with humanitarian aid. After the compensation payment, Turkey and Israel are now set to restore full diplomatic relations, including the exchange of ambassadors.

Murat Basboga