Decision on Central Asian pipeline called pivotal for Turkey's future
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
ANKARA Ñ Turkey is facing a decision between a Russian- and Western-sponsored energy project that could change its 'political fate' a leading analyst said.
International Energy Agency chief economist Fatih Birol said Turkey has been wooed as a waystation for the Western-sponsored Nabucco and Russian-aligned South Stream natural gas pipelines.
Birol, a Turkish national, said only one of the projects, designed to supply Central Asian gas to Western Europe, would succeed.
"Both at the same time may create problems in finding buyers," Birol said. "European countries are likely to prefer Nabucco as they do not want to be dependent on Russia."
Birol said Turkey could become one of the five top energy transporters in the world. He said either Nabucco or South Stream could "change TurkeyÕs political fate.
Being a bridge country in energy and standing at the valves is as important as membership in the European Union."