The main objectives of Turkey's energy policy are to strengthen national supply security, and ultimately, help diversify its own and Europe's routes and resources, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in his remarks to the "Natural Gas for Europe. Security and Partnership" summit held in Sofia April 24-25. "Becoming the fourth artery of Europe in terms of natural gas is among our main objectives", said the President.

He said that his country is well aware of the duties and responsibilities that go with its unique and strategic location in-between the countries that hold two thirds of the world's proven natural gas reserves and major Western energy markets. He also underscored the importance of energy security as an aspect of regional security.

In President Gul's words, Turkey "attributes particular significance to the construction of the pipelines that will allow natural gas to flow from the Caspian basin and the Middle East to Europe and in particular to the realization of the Nabucco Project". Turkey has political will and determination at the highest level for the implementation of Nabucco, plays an active role in the negotiations towards an agreement on the legal and the technical aspects of the project, and hopes to see an Intergovernmental Agreement concluded in the first half of 2009.

Turkey expects the realization of Nabucco to step up projects under construction in the region, such as the Arab Natural Gas Pipeline, to facilitate the inclusion of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and other major gas producing countries in the Middle East, in Europe's energy security equation, and to enhance Turkey's cooperation with Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Besides Nabucco, the Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline also constitutes another important component of the Southern Gas Corridor. He also urged foreign energy companies to invest in the ongoing Ceyhan energy projects.

Dwelling on the importance of the physical security of natural gas pipelines, the construction of natural gas storage plants and LNG terminals as components of the Southeastern European countries' natural gas security strategy, President Gul said that special attentions should be paid to human and environmental security.

Source: BTA