US embassy cable - 04ANKARA1988

UNCLAS ANKARA 001988 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EB/CBED, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA AND EB/ESC 
NSC FOR BRYZA AND MCKIBBEN 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, ENRG, AU, TU, IR 
SUBJECT: ILSA DEMARCHE TO TURKEY 
 
REF: STATE 68432 
 
 
1.  (SBU) A/DCM presented reftel points April 5 to MFA Deputy 
Director General for Energy Hakki Akil, pointing out that 
development of a pipeline to carry Iranian natural gas to 
Europe via Turkey would raise serious issues related to both 
U.S. law (ILSA) and U.S. policy.  Per reftel, A/DCM stressed 
that pursuit of such a project could raise questions about 
U.S. support for Turkish gas exports to Europe. 
 
 
2.  (SBU) Akil emphasized Turkey's long-standing policy of 
working closely with the USG to to build an East-West energy 
corridor and to make Turkey an energy hub, and said his 
government was committed to continuing that policy.  He said 
there was no intention to build a specific pipeline to carry 
Iranian gas to Europe; the Nabucco project ends at Turkey's 
border with Bulgaria (i.e., does not continue through Turkey 
to Iran).  In fact, the GOT is working hard to promote 
alternative sources of gas to Europe, including not only 
Azeri gas but also Turkmenistan gas via the Shah Deniz 
pipeline. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) The problem, per Akil, is that -- if European 
customers in the end decide to buy Iranian gas -- it will be 
politically difficult for Turkish authorities to refuse to 
let the gas transit their country.  The solution, he 
reiterated, is to encourage alternative suppliers so that the 
Iranians are squeezed out of the picture.  To this end, he 
has been urging Statoil, SOCAR, and BP, as well as the 
Egyptians and Iraqis, to study the European gas market and 
try to market their gas in that market. 
EDELMAN