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Turkey says to build gas pipeline to Azeri exclave

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  • Turkey says to build gas pipeline to Azeri exclave

    Reuters
    Aug 9 2009



    Turkey says to build gas pipeline to Azeri exclave

    Sun Aug 9, 2009 4:42pm IST

    ISTANBUL, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Turkey has agreed to build a natural gas
    pipeline from its eastern border to Azerbaijan's Autonomous Republic
    of Nakhchivan, state-run news agency Anatolian reported on Sunday.
    Turkey has been in high-level talks over the price and volume of gas
    it receives from major regional gas exporter Azerbaijan. Disputes over
    the price Turkey pays for Azeri gas has been a source of tension
    between the two traditional allies.

    "We will sign a memorandum of understanding for (a pipeline with the
    capacity of) almost a half billion cubic metres of gas a year," said
    Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz during a trip to Nakhchivan over
    the weekend.

    Nakhchivan, from which Azerbaijan's ruling Aliyev family hails, has
    suffered under an economic blockade from arch-enemy Armenia, which
    geographically separates the Azeri exclave from Azerbaijan
    proper. [ID:nLH171801]

    Turkey buys 6 billion cubic metres of gas from Azerbaijan's Shakh
    Deniz basin each year at $120 per 1,000 cubic metres, which is far
    below what it pays for Russian and Iranian gas.

    Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this year that a new gas
    price to be negotiated between Turkish and Azeri officials would be
    more "fair".

    The planned Turkish-Azeri pipeline will run from Turkey's eastern
    province of Igdir to the autonomous republic.

    No timeline for the construction of the pipeline was given, but
    Turkish state pipeline company BOTAS and Azeri state-owned oil company
    SOCAR would hold talks on the commercial and technical aspects of the
    line, Anatolian reported. (Reporting by Thomas Grove; Editing by Mike
    Nesbit)
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