Ankara clarifies its demands on Nabucco
Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Taner Yildiz has clarified those demands issued by Ankara during
talks with partners of the Nabucco gas pipeline project on its
stake and taxes.
Yildiz said his country had sought a 15 percent share, or about 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas to be transported annually through the pipeline, which will deliver Caspian and Middle Eastern fuel to Europe. This has triggered broad discussions among the project partners to determine, on what grounds, this volume of fuel would be delivered to Turkey.
"Though Ankara initially suggested receiving a 15 percent share on account of transit and tax costs, i.e. free of charge, we now believe that buying gas for a cheap price is more beneficial for Turkey," the minister said. "In this case, the Finance Ministry will be receiving about $4 billion per year in taxes for the pipeline`s operation, which will be a major contribution to the Turkish economy."
Yildiz said, however, that even if Turkey does not receive gas via Nabucco, the country will not face a shortage of energy resources.
As for filling the pipeline with gas, he believes this depends on the will of Western countries, as European financial institutions would never spend over 7 billion euros on building a pipeline which they lack confidence in being able to fill. On the other hand, gas deals signed by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan with rival Russia should be treated as normal and do not pose a threat to Nabucco.
Another demand laid down by Turkey during the discussions was fair distribution by the Austria-based Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH of those taxes related to running the pipeline. According to Yildiz, given that over 2,000 km of the 3,300-kilometer Nabucco pipeline will go through Turkish territory, Ankara`s assuming most of the transit and tax expenses is absolutely fair.
The project seeks to deliver about 30 billion cubic meters of gas to European markets through a pipeline traveling through Azerbaijan and Turkey to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria. By completing this project, the EU is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.
Yildiz said his country had sought a 15 percent share, or about 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas to be transported annually through the pipeline, which will deliver Caspian and Middle Eastern fuel to Europe. This has triggered broad discussions among the project partners to determine, on what grounds, this volume of fuel would be delivered to Turkey.
"Though Ankara initially suggested receiving a 15 percent share on account of transit and tax costs, i.e. free of charge, we now believe that buying gas for a cheap price is more beneficial for Turkey," the minister said. "In this case, the Finance Ministry will be receiving about $4 billion per year in taxes for the pipeline`s operation, which will be a major contribution to the Turkish economy."
Yildiz said, however, that even if Turkey does not receive gas via Nabucco, the country will not face a shortage of energy resources.
As for filling the pipeline with gas, he believes this depends on the will of Western countries, as European financial institutions would never spend over 7 billion euros on building a pipeline which they lack confidence in being able to fill. On the other hand, gas deals signed by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan with rival Russia should be treated as normal and do not pose a threat to Nabucco.
Another demand laid down by Turkey during the discussions was fair distribution by the Austria-based Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH of those taxes related to running the pipeline. According to Yildiz, given that over 2,000 km of the 3,300-kilometer Nabucco pipeline will go through Turkish territory, Ankara`s assuming most of the transit and tax expenses is absolutely fair.
The project seeks to deliver about 30 billion cubic meters of gas to European markets through a pipeline traveling through Azerbaijan and Turkey to Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Austria. By completing this project, the EU is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.
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