Turkey courted for South Stream pipeline

MOSCOW, July 2 (UPI) -- Following gas deals with Azerbaijan, Russia has extended an invitation to Turkey to join the South Stream natural gas pipeline to Europe, officials say.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin spoke with Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz to discuss energy cooperation, including the terms for a nuclear power plant in Turkey.

Europe is scrambling to diversify and stabilize the regional energy sector following a January dispute between Moscow and Kiev over gas contracts and arrears. That dispute prompted Russian gas giant Gazprom to cut gas supplies to Ukraine, which left Europe in the cold for weeks as 80 percent of its Russian gas travels through Ukrainian territory.

Moscow is pushing its Nord Stream pipeline to Germany and its South Stream pipeline to southern Europe as Ukrainian alternatives, while Europe looks to the $10.7 billion Nabucco project as the answer to its energy woes.

Sechin said his meeting with the Turkish energy minister included all options.

"The more opportunities to supply gas to consumers, the better," he said.

The talks with the Turkish energy minister come on the heels of a deal with Azerbaijan to secure gas supplies for Russia, which Moscow says will feed South Stream.

Europe had looked to Caspian suppliers for Nabucco, though Baku is keen to increase its clout as a regional gas giant.