听
TANAP听is essential for the energy diversity in Europe, the U.S.' Secretary of State John Kerry told Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
听Speaking听at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Secretary Kerry reminded that听Turkey's TANAP, Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline, will be听the longest segment of the planned Southern Gas Corridor that would bring natural gas from the Caspian through Turkey to Europe.
"My government thinks it is absolutely essential to complete the Southern Corridor and the Trans听Adriatic Pipeline, which will connect to Greece, Albania, and Italy," the Secretary said, according to the U.S. Deparment of State website.听
"This will strengthen energy diversity in Europe, including with possible lines up to a place like Bulgaria or elsewhere," he emphasized.听
Planned to be completed in 2018, 2,000 kilometers long听TANAP听will听carry听16 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year听from听Azerbaijan's听Shah Deniz 2 field on the Caspian Sea, while听six billion cubic meters of its gas will be consumed by听Turkey听domestically as rest will be delivered to Europe.听
Stretching 870 kilometers,听Trans Adriatic听Pipeline,听TAP, will connect with TANAP听on the east at the Greek-Turkish border and will cross to northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea to connect with the听Italian natural gas network at听southern Italy.听
The two pipelines will be the integral parts of听the 3,500 kilometer-long Southern Gas Corridor.听
- Cyprus issue
Secretary Kerry also said both the U.S. and Turkey听support the UN-led negotiations to reunify Cyprus "as a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation."
"This is a problem that just has gone on for far too long," he said, adding "We believe that the parties can make real and lasting progress in the year 2015. And that would be very positive for the region."
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu agreed with Kerry, saying "We are hoping to reach a solution within 2015, and we have the political will."
"Turkey and Turkish Cypriots have the political will for a solution, and they are 鈥� we are waiting at the negotiating table," he said, stressing the importance of U.S.' role in the process.听
"Here, the U.S. role 鈥� active role and involvement is very important. And we see this will in the U.S. and in the State Department and as well as in White House. And thanks to the efforts and the support of U.S., we can finally reach a last and fair solution in Cyprus," he added.
The island of Cyprus听was divided into northern Turkish and southern Greek territories, when a Greek-Cypriot coup听in 1974听to join the island to Greece was responded to听by a Turkish peace mission and听Turkish Republic of Northern听Cyprus, TRNC, was founded in 1983.听
The Greek Cypriot administration听put听peace talks on hold in early October after Turkey听sent a ship to monitor听an oil-and-gas exploration mission off the coast of Cyprus.
Moreover,听Turkey and TRNC both听emphasized听that the natural resources of Cyprus, like oil and natural gas, belong to the whole population of听the island, and听should be shared equally.听
TRNC officials underlined repeatedly听that听Turkish Cypriots have听equal and sovereign听rights to听the island's natural resources听and听will not听take a step back from their听position听while they听are听determined to find a听solution in听the island.
Located off the coast of southern Cyprus in eastern Mediterranean, the Aphrodite gas field听is estimated to have听200 billion cubic meters of natural gas, (almost four times听Turkey's annual consumption in 2014),听according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
By Ovunc Kutlu
Anadolu Agency
ovunc.kutlu@aa.com.tr
听