Hurriyet Daily News: South Stream not a rival to TANAP or Nabucco, energy minister says

The South Stream pipeline to transport gas to Europe is not a harbinger of the end of alternative pipeline projects that go through Turkey like the planned Nabucco line, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said today.

The southern corridor should be considered a package of projects, Yıldız told the press during a ceremony in Anapa, Russia, to begin construction of the South Stream pipeline.  “South Stream is an important ring in this chain,” he said.

Touching on projects such as TANAP, West Nabucco and ITGI, Taner said: “Although in the short term they might look like rival projects, in the mid and long term, they are not. As Europe needs more natural gas, there will be a need for three or four projects like that. This is why we have a positive approach to South Stream,” said Yıldız.

Turkey, however, has no intention of becoming a shareholder in South Stream, as it is already involved in TANAP and Nabucco West, he said.  MORE