US' first comment on Turkish Stream

Russian President Vladimir Putin caused a shockwave around the world, specifically in Europe, when he declared the suspension of the long-planned South Stream project during his visit to Istanbul in early December 2014. He pulled another rabbit out of his hat with his next statement: ?We will build a new pipeline via Turkey instead.?

This new pipeline, called the ?Turkish Stream,? is going to change the energy map in Europe and therefore also in the world. The South Stream would transport the Russian gas via the Black Sea to Bulgaria and from there, to South and Eastern Europe. This new pipeline, however, will transmit the very same amount of gas via Turkey instead of Ukraine.

This development has been widely interpreted as a message that Russia is giving to Europe through Turkey due to Moscow?s ongoing political impasse with the West. New York Times made it its headline, commenting ?if there is one winner, it is Turkey.?

The following questions remained in our minds: Will Turkey become more dependent on Russia? What is the U.S.?s position? Is Turkey?s dream of becoming an energy hub coming true?

I had the chance to ask these questions to the person who could give just the right answers: Retired American Ambassador Richard Morningstar. He was President Bill Clinton?s Special Advisor for Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy and later Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy during President Barack Obama?s term. Morningstar served as Ambassador to Azerbaijan between 2012-2014. And by the end of last year, he returned to Washington to found the ?Global Energy Center? under the Atlantic Council, which is one of the U.S. and the world?s foremost think tanks.

Morningstar has been visiting Turkey frequently in the last 17 years. Just before...