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Russia sends draft intergovernmental agreement on first Turkish stream line to Turkey

The parties are currently negotiating the documents on the first line of the Turkish stream, which will supply Russian gas exclusively for the needs of the republic

MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. The Russian Energy Ministry has sent a draft intergovernmental agreement on the "Turkish stream" project to the Turkish side, a source in the Ministry told TASS Tuesday.

According to the source, it is "an intergovernmental agreement on the project’s first line with a capacity of 15.75 bln cubic meters."

The source said that earlier on the level of the Heads of state [Russia and Turkey — TASS] the decision on the phased implementation of the project was made. "Russia is ready for a phased implementation of the project," a source in the Russian Ministry said.

Thus, the parties are currently negotiating the documents on the first line of the Turkish stream, which will supply Russian gas exclusively for the needs of the republic. An intergovernmental agreement on the 2-4 lines of the Turkish stream, which are expected to transfer gas to EU countries, will be included in a separate document, the source said.

Russian President Putin announced on December 1, 2014 the project to build the South Stream gas pipeline was closed due to the European Union’s unconstructive approach to cooperation in that sphere, including Bulgaria’s decision to stop the construction of the pipeline’s stretch on its territory.

Instead, Russia will build a gas pipeline to Turkey where a gas hub on the border with Europe will be created, Putin said.

The Turkish Stream will serve as an alternative to the South Stream gas pipeline project abandoned by Russia in December 2014. The larger part of the Turkish Stream pipeline will run across the Black Sea and coincide with the South Stream route approved earlier.

The pipeline’s underwater section is 900 km long, land section — 180 km. The pipeline will have a capacity of 63 bln cubic meters, of which about 16 bln cubic meters will be given to Turkey.