Key partner in Nabucco: Turkey
'Turkey ready to sign up to Nabucco'
Turkish and European Union officials said today they were optimistic agreement could be reached soon on bringing Turkey into the planned Nabucco gas pipeline project.
"We hope we can achieve an agreement as early as possible, even in this month," Reuters quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as telling reporters after discussions in Brussels.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told the same news conference: "We can reasonably be hopeful that we shall see a major step forward in the Nabucco project."
Turkish backing is seen as vital for launching the 31 billion cubic metres per year gas pipeline by 2014. The link aims to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian supplies.
Turkey, which has little hydrocarbon resources of its own, has said it wants to use 15% of the gas pumped through the pipeline in return for assuring transit arrangements.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is also in Brussels for a visit which Ankara hopes will breathe new life into its stalled EU accession bid.