Turkey has not presented Russia with new conditions on the construction of the South Stream pipeline, which aims to carry Russian natural gas to European markets, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said today.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said yesterday Moscow will provide additional documentation on the ecological impact of the underwater pipeline to Turkey, which has not given its go-ahead for the $21.5 billion project.
"The feasibility studies on South Stream are awaited. Permission for construction will be given once the criteria are met," Yildiz told reporters and denied Turkey has sought new conditions.
The underwater portion of the pipeline, which will transport up to 63 billion cubic metres of gas when it opens in 2015, will go through Turkey's Black Sea territorial waters.
Putin said he saw no threat to the project from Turkey but that Russia would still consider other options, Reuters reported.
Turkey is a partner in South Stream's rival, the European Union-sponsored $10.8 billion Nabucco project which aims to ship Caspian and Middle Eastern gas to Europe.
Turkey also wants Russia to provide crude oil to a pipeline that it wants built between the Black Sea and Mediterranean.