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Agreement Signed on Transfer of Egyptian Natural Gas to Europe Via Turkey

Posted on: Monday, 20 March 2006, 09:00 CST

Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia

Ankara, 20 March: Agreement on transfer of Egypt's natural gas to Europe via Turkey was signed, sources said on Monday [20 March].

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler met energy ministers of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Romania in Cairo yesterday.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Guler said with the agreement Turkey took another step to be an energy corridor, and pointed to the importance of diversifying natural gas resources for Turkey. He said Egypt's natural gas was an important alternative.

Guler said Egyptian gas would be used within the country and at the same time will establish a gas transition line.

At the meeting in Cairo, the parties also reached a principle agreement for the construction of the pipeline that will transfer natural gas to Europe via Turkey.

According to the agreement, Egyptian companies will construct 30 km section of the pipeline that is within Jordanian borders, and the 230 km section between Humus and Kilis will be jointly constructed by Syrian, Egyptian and Turkish companies. Turkish state-run oil pipeline company BOTAS will construct the Kilis-Kahramanmaras- Turkoglu line that is within Turkish borders.

A joint company will be set up between Turkey's BOTAS and Egypt's Misirgas for marketing of Egypt's natural gas to Europe. The Egyptian natural gas is expected to reach to Turkey at the beginning of 2008 and from there to Romania. The pipeline will have a capacity to carry up to 10 billion cubic meters natural gas.

Source: BBC Monitoring European

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