Turkey enters European gas fray

ANKARA, Turkey, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Turkey pledged its support to Moscow to help settle the ongoing European gas crisis stemming from disputes between Ukraine and Russia, officials said.

Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler traveled to Moscow earlier this week to try to assist in efforts to settle a row that left European customers without gas for several days, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper noted.

"As part of the solution, our talks with the two parties continue," he said. "I do not know what you would call it, but we are doing our best for a solution to the problem."

Turkey is dependent on Russia for its supplies of natural gas, leaving it affected by the gas row along with the rest of Europe.

Turkey serves as a hub for several natural resources arteries. Turkish officials said the row would not translate to severe disruptions to some of its customers.

The gas row prompted urgent interest in diversifying the European energy sector away from Russian energy resources. Guler, prompted on the evolution of the proposed Nabucco gas pipeline project, said any developments there to include Russia were up to Moscow.

Nabucco would bring natural gas from Caspian and Middle Eastern suppliers to Western Europe through Turkey, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania.