Turkey's dangerous play with Russia's Turkish Stream bid

With a few days left before he loses his seat as minister and quits active politics, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Y?ld?z said Turkey is considering becoming an equity partner in the Turkish Stream project, as Russia?s Gazprom is likely to start construction of the natural gas pipeline by the end of June. 

?Once the information regarding the coordinates of the pipeline is received, the permits granted and the talks finalized, construction could begin by the end of the month,? Y?ld?z told Reuters June 5. 

The Turkish Stream, a pipeline planned to carry 63 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas to Europe via Turkey by 2020 has come to the agenda after Russian President Vladimir Putin cancelled its South Stream pipeline project as a result of a disagreement with the European Commission.  

The move came as a surprise, as Russia?s Gazprom and Turkey?s Bota? had signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of the pipeline during Putin?s visit to Ankara on Dec. 1, 2014. Although there were no finalized talks between the two parties and no agreement was signed, Gazprom announced last week its plans to immediately begin construction of the pipeline that will have four different lines. 

Turkey is planning to get 16 bcm of natural gas from the Turkish bid, the same amount of gas it receives from the Western line passing through the Ukrainian territories and other Balkan countries. 

?We are talking about partnership and ownership here. We need to set up the mechanism very carefully for this. We are looking to become a partner in the costs,? Y?ld?z said, indicating the beginning of a tough bargaining with Russia?s Gazprom. 

Turkey?s energy relationship with Russia is getting more complicated, as its dependence...