Albayrak Unveils Talks with Israel in “Energy Bridge Türkiye”
President Erdogan has revealed that Turkey is establishing contact with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for the first time in order to transfer Israeli gas to Europe via Turkey. This step comes after a previous attempt was interrupted during the tenure of former Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Berat Albayrak. Erdogan made this announcement during a press conference upon his return from his Gulf visit.
The potential agreement between Israel and Turkey to supply natural gas to Europe has attracted attention, particularly in the Israeli media. It is reported that Israel sees the high capacity of Turkey’s natural gas liquefaction facilities as an advantage. Erdogan expressed his optimism that this development will lead to a warmer period in Turkey-Israel relations.
Berat Albayrak, who was the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources at the time of the initial step, provided further insight into the process. He explained that during his tenure, the transportation of natural gas discovered by Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean to Europe was a significant issue. Despite attempts to find alternative routes without involving Turkey, Albayrak emphasized the close collaboration between the two countries for the successful transportation of this gas.
Albayrak highlighted the importance of a meeting between Turkish and Israeli energy ministers at the 23rd World Energy Congress in 2016. This meeting marked the first official ministerial-level encounter between the two countries since the normalization process began.
During their discussions, Albayrak and the Israeli side explored the potential for natural gas export from Israel to Turkey. They both recognized the positive impact that energy resources could have on establishing peace and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
Albayrak also emphasized the importance of considering the interests of Cyprus and Egypt in the region. He stated that Turkey is committed to promoting equitable distribution and a ‘win-win’ situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Albayrak discussed the possibility of dialogue with Egypt and finding a resolution to the Cyprus problem, with the aim of including the natural gas resources of both countries in the proposed pipeline between Israel and Turkey.
Overall, these developments indicate a significant step forward in the energy cooperation between Turkey and Israel. By establishing contact with Netanyahu, Turkey aims to create a more favorable environment for bilateral relations and contribute to the energy security of Europe.
