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Energy, Armenia protocols to top PM's Russia talks
The talks are expected to be in the format of a joint cabinet meeting, not unlike similar meetings held in earlier visits by Erdoğan to Syria and Iraq. In past remarks, Erdoğan said his government wants to establish a mechanism with Russia similar to the high-level strategic councils created between Turkey and Syria and Turkey and Iraq last year. An agreement to initiate a similar mechanism with Russia was signed when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Ankara in August. Erdoğan's visit to Moscow will be the first step in this direction. Later, another meeting of the two countries' cabinets is planned to take place in Turkey.
According to the unofficial program, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız, Public Works Minister Mustafa Demir, Environment Minister Veysel Eroğlu, Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan and State Minister Faruk Çelik will accompany Erdoğan for talks focusing on regional problems, energy projects, joint investment opportunities and international issues.
One of the most important issues on the agenda of the meeting is the future of the planned Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Turkish and Russian officials are expected to announce an agreement during the visit allowing Russian oil pipeline operator Transneft and Russian oil company Rosneft to have a share in the $2.5 billion pipeline, which will run between Samsun on Turkey’s Black Sea coast and the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
Italy, Russia and Turkey signed an agreement to build the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline in October in Milan. Italy’s Eni and Turkey’s Çalık Holding, which each own 50 percent, also signed a memorandum of understanding with Transneft and Rosneft on the participation of the Russian companies in Milan. Transneft later said that Russian interests may get an up-to-50-percent share in the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline if the country can supply more crude. Rosneft has already guaranteed oil supplies for the 550-kilometer pipeline with a daily capacity of 1.5 million barrels.
Russia and Turkey have also neared completion of the preliminary work for the Blue Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. During the visit, the two countries will discuss the possibility of forming a joint work group between Israel, Russia and Turkey for Blue Stream 2, which is planned to supply natural gas to Cyprus, Israel and other countries in the Middle East.
Final hump ahead of Armenia meeting
Peace in the Caucasus will be one of the top issues on the agenda of the Moscow visit. The joint cabinet meeting will also discuss forming a Caucasus Cooperation and Stability Platform, a joint mechanism to solve regional problems earlier proposed by Turkey. A process of rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia may also speed up following Turkish-Russian talks.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on normalizing their relations in October. The protocols are now awaiting approval in each country’s parliament, and sources told Today’s Zaman that the parliaments may debate the documents in March. Erdoğan said earlier that Turkey expected to see progress in efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Turkey’s ethnic and regional ally Azerbaijan so that Ankara could move forward in the process of rapprochement with Armenia. In Moscow, Erdoğan is expected to urge Russia to step up pressure on Armenia for a resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh.
Putin and Erdoğan are also expected to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. This meeting is also anticipated to put an end to crises that sometimes erupt between the two countries over fresh fruit and vegetable exports from Turkey. Another issue that is likely to show up will be Turkey’s estimated $20 billion nuclear plant tender, for which Russia is a contender.
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