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Turkish Stream gas pipeline

Russia Energy Minister: No official notice of halt on Turkish Stream project

The gas discount for Turkey’s Botas will amount to 10.25%

© EPA/CARSTEN REHDER

MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. There have not been any official notices of a halt in negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the Turkish Stream pipeline, that's according to Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

"We do not have any official statements or inquiries in this respect. We continue working together," Novak said in response to media reports of a possible halt in negotiations on Turkish Stream.

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The minister added that Russia’s gas giant Gazprom and Turkey’s Botas have already agreed on a discount for Russian gas, which will amount to 10.25%.

"As we have been informed, Gazprom and Botas have agreed on the gas discount. It will be 10.25%," he said.

Mete Goknel, the former head of the Turkish state-owned corporation BOTAS, confirmed to TASS in previous interviews that the Russian-Turkish talks could hardly be suspended for the moment. The talks have been under way largely behind the closed doors with minimum information available to the press and public, Goknel explained. According to the expert, Ankara is unlikely to give up the idea of building a new gas pipeline running from Russia in view of Turkey’s fuel needs. However, he said, the final cost of gas for Turkey remains the key issue at the Russian-Turkish gas talks.

Goknel added that he did not expect any decisions on the Turkish Stream to be passed before Turkey formed a new government, which, he believes, is unlikely to happen earlier than September if no early elections are held.

Kremlin confirms Putin-Erdogan meeting in autumn

Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet in autumn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

"The supreme bilateral council will convene in autumn at the highest level. This is the main coordination body of our bilateral relations," Peskov said adding that the time and place of the meeting would be known later.

The Turkish Stream issue "will be definitely on the agenda," he said.

Peskov said he could give no comments on the Turkish Stream so far.

"Turkish should complete the process of the government formation to implement such projects. We are waiting quite patiently," Peskov said.

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