Erdogan: Türkiye to serve as hub for delivering Turkmen gas to Europe

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Türkiye will become an important hub on the way to supply Turkmen gas to Europe.

He made the remarks in a conversation with Turkish journalists who covered the tripartite summit Türkiye-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan in Avaz, Anadolu reports.

According to him, the supply of Russian and Turkmen gas to Europe through Türkiye will become very important steps in the energy sector. Erdogan noted that the topic of gas export from Turkmenistan through the Caspian Sea is being discussed today between Baku and Ashgabat, and among others, the issue of financial burden distribution is being considered.

"I think that Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan need to reach an agreement on the distribution of this burden. If Türkiye becomes part of this process, then Ankara will take part of the costs. If the EU is involved in the case, the representatives of Brussels will also have to participate in the financial issue", - the Turkish leader believes.

Erdogan said that at the tripartite summit in Turkmen Avaza, it was decided to organize a meeting of the energy ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan for a detailed discussion of ways of cooperation.

"I gave an order to the Minister of Energy of Türkiye to reach the result of discussions with colleagues from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan within a month. As a result of these decisions, we will discuss this topic again. At the beginning of 2023, the president of Turkmenistan plans to make an official visit to Türkiye. I hope that it is then that we will put an end to this issue," Erdogan said.

President Erdogan said that he will raise the topic of energy in negotiations with Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev.

"Quick steps allow to facilitate the process. After that, we will start discussing the issue related to the EU," the president continued.

The Turkish leader drew attention to the congestion of the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP).

"TANAP is loaded - 32 billion cubic meters. A similar situation with the Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) - six billion cubic meters are pumped. Therefore, colleagues will discuss the necessity of building a new gas pipeline and will take new steps as a result of the dialogue. We discussed the issue at the level of presidents in Avaza. Now, it's time to discuss the technical base, financial framework, which will allow us to take new steps in the future».

Regarding cooperation with Turkmenistan, including on the platform of the Organization of Turkic States, the president expressed hope for the soon full membership of Ashgabat in the organization.

Ankara's steps towards Syria are based on national interests

Regarding Türkiye's plans to conduct a new ground anti-terrorist operation in Syria, Erdogan noted that "Ankara stands for the joint steps of Russia, Türkiye, and Syria".

"For this, it is necessary to meet representatives of the special services, then the minister of foreign affairs, and then the minister of defense. According to the results of these discussions, it will be possible to talk about the meeting of the leaders. I proposed it to Mr. Putin, and he took the initiative positively. This is a positive start to a series of negotiations," the Turkish president said.

When asked about the probability of contact with Bashar Assad and the reaction of the USA to contacts with Damascus, President Erdogan told the journalist: "So you still don't know me well. I make decisions about time and people I meet without getting permission from outside. Earlier, he held a meeting with the President of Egypt in Qatar. In the Syrian issue, the national interests of Türkiye are also the main ones for me.

Erdogan noted the importance of quick steps in Syria, where terrorists have become active in the north, threatening the security of Türkiye.

Erdogan reminded the decisions made in the Astana format, as well as the Sochi agreements on Syria.

 "What was the agreement about Syria? First of all, they assumed the withdrawal of terrorists from the 30 km border zone with Türkiye. This is our "security corridor" and we will take all the necessary steps in this zone," he emphasized.

The head of the Turkish state emphasized the coordination of the steps of Türkiye and Russia in Syria. "Coordinating steps with Moscow is nothing new," the politician emphasized.

He also drew attention to the situation in eastern Syria, where large oil and gas fields are controlled by the forces of the International Coalition led by the United States, as well as the Syrian wing of the RKK - YPG terrorists. "The coalition controls the oil fields in Syria. Who is this oil sold to? Assad's regime. Who sells? Terrorists. We have endured until today. But our patience has run out," the Turkish president emphasized.