Turkey and Israel can work together to carry Israeli natural gas to Europe and the two countries will discuss energy cooperation during talks next month, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Friday.
The two countries expelled their ambassadors in 2018 after a bitter falling-out. Ties have remained tense since with Ankara condemning Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its policy toward Palestinians, while Israel has called on Turkey to drop support for the militant Palestinian group Hamas which rules Gaza.
However, Turkey has been working to repair its strained ties with regional powers as part of a charm offensive launched in 2020. In an apparent easing after years of animosity, Erdogan said on Thursday that Israeli President Isaac Herzog would visit Turkey in mid-March. read more
“We can use Israeli natural gas in our country, and beyond using it, we can also engage in a joint effort on its passage to Europe,” Erdogan told reporters on a return flight from Ukraine.
“Now, God willing, these issues will be on our agenda with Mr Herzog during their visit to Turkey,” he was quoted by Turkish TV media as saying. Erdogan had visited Ukraine to discuss the crisis there.
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In July 2020, the government, with the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, authorized the establishment of the EastMed pipeline. The goal of the pipeline was to create a natural gas supply route from Israel to Cyprus and onto Europe, with the aim of reducing European dependence on Russian gas. The project gained momentum after Turkey, the largest gas consumer in the region, said it had no interest in buying gas from Cypriot or Israeli reserves.
Originally, the pipeline was supposed to be up and running by 2025, but it is clear that if it is built, it will be completed long after that date.
the American administration sent the Greek government a letter expressing concerns about the project due to economic and environmental reasons. However, behind the scenes, it is tension with Russia, the largest gas supplier to Europe, that is dictating events. Another factor is the desire to reconcile relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is opposed to the pipeline, while the United States needs his support due to the crisis in the nuclear talks with Iran.
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