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Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 22 2012
France to regain access to Turkish energy industry after genocide row
22 June 2012 / REUTERS, ST PETERSBURG
Turkey's resumption of diplomatic ties with France means French
companies may regain some, if not full access to Turkey's energy
sector, including its nuclear industry, Turkey's Energy Minister Taner
Yıldız said on Friday.
After a meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an
and new French President Francois Hollande, Ankara announced on
Thursday it would restore ties with France after a six-month hiatus in
a dispute over the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
Ankara cancelled all economic, political and military meetings with
Paris in December after France's lower house of parliament voted
overwhelmingly in favor of a draft law to make it illegal to deny that
the killings amounted to genocide.
France's highest court overturned the law two months later but the
Turkish measures, which included restrictions on French military
aircraft and ships landing or docking on its territory, have remained
in place.
Yıldız said the government expected an improvement in relations with
Hollande in power.
"I believe that this burden will be taken out or removed after the
meeting (Hollande) had with his excellency ErdoÄ?an," Yıldız told
reporters during an economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
"As the energy sector we are ready for a variety of cooperation with
France, although our projects and our business is really large and we
can not separate them from the international politics," he said.
"Therefore we cannot ignore some political approaches that will affect
our industry. I believe that from now on the prospects will be much
better compared to the time of (Hollande's predecessor Nicolas)
Sarkozy."
Armenia, backed by many historians and parliaments, says about 1.5
million Christian Armenians were killed in what is now eastern Turkey
during World War One in a deliberate policy of genocide ordered by the
Ottoman government.
Turkey says there was a heavy loss of life on both sides during the
fighting in which Armenian partisans supported invading Russian
forces.
Ties weakened during Sarkozy's term in office, when the former French
president was also an outspoken opponent of Turkish membership in the
European Union.
Iran ties
Noting Turkey's relationship with Iran was "not like the relationship
of any European countries with Iran," Yıldız said Turkey would
continue to import some Iranian crude oil after its sole refiner cut
imports of Iranian crude by 20 percent.
The EU itself has largely banned intake of Iranian crude from July 1.
Iran's oil buyers around the world have been cutting imports to avoid
US financial sanctions which aim to stop Iran's nuclear program
through effective limits on dollar transactions.
Washington is pressing Turkey to cut Iranian supplies over the next
six months or face sanctions, but the 20 percent cut has earned Ankara
a 180-day exemption from financial sanctions, during which Halkbank
can make payments for imports.
"The oil trade being done with Iran right now is not illegal. So trade
operations are being implemented within all of those laws and
regulations," Yıldız, said, adding it was able to pay for oil in
Turkish lira.
He said the lost Iranian volumes would be replaced by Libyan and Saudi
Arabian crude, which have been in greater supply through increased use
of Saudi spare capacity and the recovery of the Libyan energy industry
from a violent uprising which ousted Muammar Gaddafi.
June 22 2012
France to regain access to Turkish energy industry after genocide row
22 June 2012 / REUTERS, ST PETERSBURG
Turkey's resumption of diplomatic ties with France means French
companies may regain some, if not full access to Turkey's energy
sector, including its nuclear industry, Turkey's Energy Minister Taner
Yıldız said on Friday.
After a meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an
and new French President Francois Hollande, Ankara announced on
Thursday it would restore ties with France after a six-month hiatus in
a dispute over the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
Ankara cancelled all economic, political and military meetings with
Paris in December after France's lower house of parliament voted
overwhelmingly in favor of a draft law to make it illegal to deny that
the killings amounted to genocide.
France's highest court overturned the law two months later but the
Turkish measures, which included restrictions on French military
aircraft and ships landing or docking on its territory, have remained
in place.
Yıldız said the government expected an improvement in relations with
Hollande in power.
"I believe that this burden will be taken out or removed after the
meeting (Hollande) had with his excellency ErdoÄ?an," Yıldız told
reporters during an economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
"As the energy sector we are ready for a variety of cooperation with
France, although our projects and our business is really large and we
can not separate them from the international politics," he said.
"Therefore we cannot ignore some political approaches that will affect
our industry. I believe that from now on the prospects will be much
better compared to the time of (Hollande's predecessor Nicolas)
Sarkozy."
Armenia, backed by many historians and parliaments, says about 1.5
million Christian Armenians were killed in what is now eastern Turkey
during World War One in a deliberate policy of genocide ordered by the
Ottoman government.
Turkey says there was a heavy loss of life on both sides during the
fighting in which Armenian partisans supported invading Russian
forces.
Ties weakened during Sarkozy's term in office, when the former French
president was also an outspoken opponent of Turkish membership in the
European Union.
Iran ties
Noting Turkey's relationship with Iran was "not like the relationship
of any European countries with Iran," Yıldız said Turkey would
continue to import some Iranian crude oil after its sole refiner cut
imports of Iranian crude by 20 percent.
The EU itself has largely banned intake of Iranian crude from July 1.
Iran's oil buyers around the world have been cutting imports to avoid
US financial sanctions which aim to stop Iran's nuclear program
through effective limits on dollar transactions.
Washington is pressing Turkey to cut Iranian supplies over the next
six months or face sanctions, but the 20 percent cut has earned Ankara
a 180-day exemption from financial sanctions, during which Halkbank
can make payments for imports.
"The oil trade being done with Iran right now is not illegal. So trade
operations are being implemented within all of those laws and
regulations," Yıldız, said, adding it was able to pay for oil in
Turkish lira.
He said the lost Iranian volumes would be replaced by Libyan and Saudi
Arabian crude, which have been in greater supply through increased use
of Saudi spare capacity and the recovery of the Libyan energy industry
from a violent uprising which ousted Muammar Gaddafi.