ANKARA: Greece is interested in expanding its energy cooperation with Moscow and the construction of an extension pipeline to the Turkish Stream project, said the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during his meeting with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.
According to Mr. Tsipras, the project will attract new investments in the Greek economy, stabilize the region and set up the path towards improving relations with Ankara.
The plans include the construction of a 50 bcm gas transport hub on the Turkish-Greek border. From that point, an extension pipeline may be built through Greece and further towards the European countries such as Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, and Austria.
The foreign ministers of Turkey and four Balkan states – Greece, Serbia, Macedonia and Hungary –spoke in support of the ways to diversify natural gas supply and said they are ready to join the Turkish Stream after a joint meeting in Budapest.
The high-ranking officials also signed a declaration on energy cooperation.
In March, the President of Turkey Recey Tayyip Erdogan called the Turkish Stream an important project after his meeting with the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, stressing he found the Russian gas pipeline offer acceptable after the cancellation of the South Stream.