Turkey and Russia exploring idea to set up gas hub - Erdogan

ISTANBUL. Oct 14 (Interfax) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that following their talks in Astana, Russian President Vladimir Putin and he asked their countries' relevant agencies to explore the possibility of establishing a gas hub in Turkey.

"Together with Mr. Putin, we have instructed our Energy and Natural Resources Ministry and the relevant institution on the Russian side to work together," the Daily Sabah newspaper quoted Erdogan as telling reporters onboard his return flight from a regional summit in Kazakhstan, where he met with the Russian leader.

Putin said yesterday at a meeting with Erdogan that if a gas hub were set up in Turkey, it could become a venue for setting gas prices and be used to ship gas to European countries.

"Following consultations with your energy minister and head of the Botas company at the Energy Week yesterday, we agreed with Gazprom, which I said publicly, that if Turkey and our possible buyers in other countries are interested, we could consider the possible construction of another gas pipeline system and the establishment of a gas hub in Turkey to sell it to other countries, to third countries, primarily to European ones, of course - naturally, if they are interested," Putin said at a meeting with Erdogan on Thursday.