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Putin has no plans to visit Turkey soon for talks on Turkish Stream gas pipeline — Kremlin

Russia and Turkey are holding a dialog on the gas issue at various levels, including the level of corporations

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/ Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to visit Turkey shortly to discuss the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"We don’t have such plans in the foreseeable future," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Russia and Turkey are holding a dialog on the gas issue at various levels, including the level of corporations, the Kremlin spokesman said.

"Gazprom’s representatives are in constant contact with partners [in Turkey] to hold discussions and start implementing the Turkish Stream," Peskov said.

Turkish Stream Gas Pipeline Project

Gazprom and Turkey’s Botas Petroleum Pipeline Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on December 1, 2014, envisaging the construction of a gas pipeline across the Black Sea to Turkey.

The Turkish Stream gas pipeline will have a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters, of which 50 billion cubic meters will be supplied to a new gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border.

Russian President Putin announced on December 1 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.

South Stream was Gazprom's global infrastructure project designed to build a gas pipeline with a capacity of 63 billion cubic meters across the Black Sea to Southern and Central Europe in order to diversify natural gas export routes and eliminate transit risks.

The Turkish Stream gas pipeline will run 660 km (410 miles) along the old corridor of the South Stream project abandoned by Russia and 250 km (155 miles) in the new corridor towards Turkey’s European part.