Turkey said Thursday it had demanded a discount on natural gas imports from Russia , threatening to revoke the contract if a reduction wasn't agreed.

"We have asked them [ Russia ] for a reduction. If Russia doesn't sufficiently meet this demand, we will display the will to end the contract," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told reporters in Ankara .

Turkey depends on Russia for 60% of its domestic gas use. The energy minister was referring to an agreement under which Turkey imports gas supplies from the energy giant through a western pipeline.

Ankara is seeking ways of keeping gas prices for domestic consumers down, the media reported. But the rising costs of natural gas raw materials and high exchange rates were putting pressure on the government.

Yildiz said Turkey would revisit each and every expiring agreement one by one.

"One of them is the agreement about the western line. If we cannot see a sufficient discount, we will end it," said the minister.

The agreement with Russia expires by the end of this year.

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