Turkey will grant permission for the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline across its Black Sea sector when it signs a bilateral protocol with Russia Thursday, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Wednesday, citing a Russian government official.
"The parties will ensure the conditions for approval of the construction," Yury Ushakov, a deputy government chief of staff, is quoted as saying.
The protocol is due to be signed by the Russian and Turkish prime ministers in Ankara Thursday, Ria Novosti reports.
Ushakov declined to specify the date for the commencement of the gas pipeline construction, saying it would be agreed by both premiers.