Moscow hails energy ties with Ankara

ISTANBUL, Turkey, June 8 (UPI) -- Russia and Turkey are important partners in the natural gas and nuclear energy sectors, the Russian prime minister said Tuesday in Istanbul.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived Tuesday in Turkey to take part in the third summit for the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

The prime minister said both sides have agreed to move quickly toward strengthening bilateral ties in the energy sector, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reports.

Moscow has cooperated with Ankara in the Blue Stream and South Stream natural gas pipeline projects as well as the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

"Now we have agreed that in the near future all the necessary intergovernmental procedures will be undertaken to make these projects work," said Putin.

Turkey is keen to position itself as a regional energy hub, agreeing to host a series of oil and gas networks. Russia's South Stream is seen as a rival to the Nabucco pipeline for Europe, which would cross Turkish territory. South Stream would run through the Black Sea.

Putin hailed a recent visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Ankara as indicative of improving energy ties.

"The visit was very fruitful and extremely important deals in the sphere of energy, including nuclear energy, were reached," he said.