Turkey and Russia Meet Again to Negotiate Gas Discount

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said Turkish negotiators would meet with representatives from Russia’s Gazprom to discuss a gas discount for 2015 again Dec. 10.  “We are continuing to work to negotiate a bigger reduction in gas prices. Our target is to clarify the final price by the end of this month,” Yıldız said at the signature ceremony for the Istanbul 2016 World Energy Congress. 

Gazprom representatives are expected to visit Ankara today, he added. The 6 percent gas price discount granted by Russia to Turkey is not final, Yıldız said last week, adding that price negotiations are continuing after Ankara submitted a counter bid seeking a deeper cut.

His Russian counterpart Alexander Novak later said the discount on Russian gas for Turkey may increase by more than 6 percent in the future, depending on market prices and the realization of joint gas projects. Yıldız also noted that Turkey will keep its “positive stance” regarding any energy projects developed for the benefit of the EU, although the EU has still yet to open the accession chapter on energy with Turkey.