Erdoğan: Turkey-Israel Gas pipeline on the agenda

Is Turkey-Israel gas pipeline project on the agenda as an alternative to Russian streams? Erdoğan answered Turkish journalist’s questions on March 31 on his way back from Uzbekistan about possible energy ties with Israel as President Isaac Herzog paid a visit to Turkey last month, stating that a gas pipeline crossing through Turkey is on the agenda.

“We discussed many issues in detail with Mr. Herzog, especially the energy issue. In the past, there were some relations, contacts between Israel and Turkey regarding energy. In period of Netenyahu, it was almost completed, but suddenly the project went upside down. Because Israel’s approach to energy export is an unsuitable way in terms of cost. Laying pipes under the sea from Israel to Greece, to Europe, is not a feasible thing to do. As a result of the cost calculations, it is seen that the most suitable way for this is to pass of this natural gas through Turkey. Of course, they are already making assessment on the issue. But in the end they also said that the more suitable way for this was to implement it through Turkey,” he said state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdoğan added that he proposed a bilateral meetings between Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and Energy and Natural Resources to discuss the energy issue in detail, and said that Israeli President’s response was positive on this proposal. He said that Herzog stated that he will convey the issue to his Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

“If we discuss this issue with Benet after Ramadan and take steps immediately, the cooperation between Israel and Turkey here will accelerate the process related to Eastern Mediterranean oil and natural gas. I am very hopeful about this,” he said.

On Russian Sanctions

Erdoğan also reiterated Turkey’s position on western sanctions on Russia, stating that Ankara “will not participate in the sanctions against Russia.”

“We are expressing our reaction to Russia’s military offensive while attaching importance to maintain our dialogue. This dialogue is important and necessary not only in the context of Ukraine but also in many geograpies that are closely related to us, such as Syria, Libya and the South Caucasus. So far, we have not made any changes in the attitude towards sanctions, and no action has been taken against Turkey by Russia within this chain of sanctions,” he said.