Turkish Forum

Tag: European Commission

  • EC’s Verheugen says EU needs Turkey

    EC’s Verheugen says EU needs Turkey

    BERLIN, Germany — European Commission (EC) Vice President Guenter Verheugen said in an interview with German radio station Deutschlandfunk on Sunday (October 18th) that the EU needs Turkey more than Ankara needs Brussels. “Turkey has immense strategic importance. I highlight the security of the entire region,” Verheugen said. “The EU should consider what would happen if Turkey preferred to pursue another road, other than gaining a seat among Western states.” He said Turkey could facilitate relations between western democracies and the Muslim world. Verheugen stressed however that Turkey must still fulfil certain membership requirements. (Zaman – 19/10/09; Ennahar, MIA – 18/10/09)

    Source: www.setimes.com, 19/10/2009

  • Europe nears gas pipeline accord

    Europe nears gas pipeline accord

    aEuropean governments are due to sign an agreement on the Nabucco gas pipeline on 13 July, the European Commission has announced.

    The Nabucco pipeline will bring Central Asian gas to western Europe via Turkey and the Balkans, bypassing Russia.

    Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria – the pipeline’s five transit countries – will sign the accord.

    The pipeline – which will compete with new rival Russian pipelines – should be operational by 2014.

    Germany is also a member of the consortium but the pipeline will not cross Germany.

    “I can confirm that the Commission has received an invitation to the signing ceremony of the intergovernmental agreement on the Nabucco pipeline on July 13 in Ankara,” a European Commission spokesman told a news briefing.

    Russian concerns

    Plans for the Nabucco pipeline come as European Union states are keen to reduce their reliance upon Russian gas because of Russia’s numerous price disputes in recent years with Ukraine.

    These rows have seen Gazprom temporarily cut supplies to Ukraine, which in turn has reduced Russian gas deliveries to western Europe that are piped through Russia’s neighbour.

    Work on Russian pipelines, which will bypass Ukraine, are underway.

    The major sources of gas for Nabucco are expected to be Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

    Azerbaijan has already promised Gazprom, the Russian state gas company, priority when it comes to buying gas.

    BBC