Putin says South Stream, Turkish Stream still on the table

Russia's president Vladimir Putin stated on 7 June 2016 that the country had not 'definitively' cancelled either the South Stream or Turkish Stream gas export pipeline projects, but needed a clear position on them from Europe.

Such statements were made following talks with Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said there were no legislative restrictions preventing Russian firms from taking part in the development of Israel’s offshore gas fields.

Russia had decided to freeze talks on Turkish Stream after a Russian military aircraft was shot down by a Turkish jet near the Syrian-Turkish border in November 2015. The South Stream project was stopped in late 2014 because of objections from the European Union on competition grounds.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: ‘South Stream’ to become ‘Bulgarian Stream’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/south-stream-to-become-bulgarian-stream/

ESO: Background information: Russia shelves Turkish Stream pipeline project http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-shelves-turkish-stream-pipeline-project/

Russia: President of Russia: Transcripts, 07.06.16: Statements for the press and answers to journalists’ questions following Russian-Israeli talks http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/transcripts/52125

TASS, 07.06.16: Moscow abandons neither South Stream nor Turkish Stream - Putin http://tass.ru/en/economy/880612

EurActiv, 29.06.16: Borissov asks EU to come clean on ‘geopolitical’ energy projects http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/borissov-asks-eu-to-come-clean-on-geopolitical-energy-projects/

EurActiv, 08.08.16: Greek energy minister ‘positive’ on South Stream construction http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/greek-energy-minister-positive-on-south-stream-construction/

EurActiv, 09.08.16: Russia-Turkey rapprochement revives Turkish Stream pipeline talks http://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/russia-turkey-rapprochement-revives-turkish-stream-pipeline-talks/

EurActiv: Tag: Turkish Stream http://www.euractiv.com/topics/turkish-stream/

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 23.08.16: Turkey and the Energy Transit Question http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=64382

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