Turkey’s leaders have mounted a charm offensive among regional energy producers in an effort to diversify supplies as relations with major natural gas provider Russia crumble following the downing of a Russian warplane by the Turkish airforce.
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Miller also said that if Gazprom disrupted gas exports to Turkey, it would lose its reputation in Turkey.
Russian Federation has stepped up its pressure on Turkey, suspending the planned construction of a crucial gas pipeline between the two countries. The initial capacity of TANAP is expected to reach 16 billion cubic metres per year.
In reference to the sanctions, Davutoglu added punishing a country and its businessmen was “contrary to modern global law”.
Ahmet Davutoglu speaking in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday again defended Turkey’s action and said Ankara would not apologize for “defending its borders”. “There are difficulties arising from the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory”.
(AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev). Russian President Vladimir Putin gives his annual state of the nation address in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015.
Erdogan has voiced regret over the incident, but Putin has made it clear that he expects a formal apology.
He reiterated that the crisis posed no problem between Turkish and Russian individuals.
“Turkey can also state that by violating its airspace, Russian Federation stabbed Ankara in chest”, said the prime minister.
“No, by no means will we do it unless the Turkish side offers (it)”, he said, adding that Moscow is about to start “searching for alternative markets, channels and directions (for import flows)” when answering the question about potential suspension of Russian grain export to Turkey.
According to Russia Today, Lavrov said after the meeting that he had heard nothing new from his Turkish counterpart regarding Ankara’s position on the downing of Russia’s bomber during an operation near the Syrian-Turkish border.
“I am not going to talk about what Turkey should do”.
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A Russian pilot, Oleg Peshkov, was shot down by militants on the ground in Syria after he bailed out of the plane.
