Turkey would like to build the new gas pipeline as an alternative to the South Stream directly to the European part of the country, instead of parallel to Blue Stream. Kommersant newspaper reported that Gasprom leaned towards the last option, because it is twice cheaper. But the gas price will become the key moment of the talks between Russia and Turkey: Turkey still insists on bigger discount, than Gasprom offers.
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said yesterday that there are two options of the route –either the gas pipeline coming out to the shore in Samsun, the Anatolian coast (Blue Stream comes out to the same place) or the gas pipeline coming out to Frakia, region of Istanbul. Turkey prefers the last option, because Samsun already has Blue Stream, while European part of Turkey consumes a lot of gas and is supplied now through the trans-Balkan gas pipeline. If the pipeline jointly with Gasprom is built, Turkey would stop gas export via the trans-Balkan route, because this gas is transited through Ukraine.
Taner Yildiz made it clear that Ankara is not going to be involved in construction of the offshore section, but could be a partner of the onshore section of the gas pipeline, though its potential shareholders are unknown yet.
