US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6767

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 006767 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR NEUMAN/ADVOCACY CENTER AND FOR 
4212/ITA/MAC/CPD/DDEFALCO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ENRG, EPET, TU 
SUBJECT: TALKING POINTS FOR PUTIN'S VISIT TO TURKEY 
DECEMBER 5-6 DELIVERED; ENERGY FEEDBACK 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 256695 
     B. ANKARA 6484 
 
Classified By: DCM ROBERT DEUTSCH, REASONS 1.4 B AND D 
 
 1. (C) Econoff delivered ref A points to GOT MFA Deputy 
Director General for Energy Hakki Akil on December 3, noting 
that similar points had been delivered at multiple levels 
over recent months.  Ambassador Edelman delivered the full 
set of ref A points to Deputy U/S Apakan on December 2. 
 
2.  (C) Corroborating multiple press reports, Akil said that 
Gazprom and the Turkish Pipeline Company BOTAS had negotiated 
and would likely sign a MOU stating the desire of Gazprom to 
use revenues from its natural gas sales to Turkey to seek 
investments in the following: 
-Natural gas distribution systems, 
-Natural gas storage, and 
-Natural gas transit of Blue Stream gas on to third 
countries, including interest in a LNG facility at Ceyhan. 
Akil noted that this MOU was for public consumption, because 
actual investment would require negotiation of separate, 
detailed agreements. 
 
3.  (C) Turning to the other major energy topic of proposed 
Bosphorus oil bypass projects, Akil said that Turkish 
Officials were still trying to convince Russia to support the 
Samsun-Ceyhan route over the trans-Thrace route supported by 
Transneft.  EconOff took the opportunity to reiterate USG 
support for transparency in the earlier application of Thrace 
Development Company.  In response, Akil emphasized that 
discussions were focused on route, not specific projects -- 
companies and the market would pick specific projects.  Akil 
repeated his views on the negative environmental aspects of 
both the trans-Thrace and Burgos-Alexandropolos routes to the 
Aegean Sea.  Moreover, Akil said the GOT would use all its 
rights under international laws to oppose the 
Burgos-Alexandropolous route, because of the Aegean Sea 
environmental reasons.  Akil said that he had briefed Prime 
Minister Erdogan December 2 on the MFA's proposed "Voluntary 
Principles on the Passage of Oil Tankers through the Turkish 
Straits" (Ref B).  He said the PM was very supportive and 
would raise the topic with President Putin.  Apart informal 
discussions, Akil admitted that he had not yet been able to 
schedule a formal presentation of the "Voluntary Principles" 
to the Russians. 
 
EDELMAN